“EDA hugs dictator”: Ignazio Cassis angers friends of Armenia

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Armenia is a suffering country, deeply traumatized since the Turkish genocide over a hundred years ago. On Tuesday, Azerbaijan launched a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a province populated by a majority of Armenians. Only a day later, the Karabakh Armenians surrendered. Azerbaijan smells morning air. Armenia’s former protective power, Russia, has been greatly weakened by the war in Ukraine. Azerbaijan’s closest ally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (69), is even stronger. Ankara and Baku have long seen themselves as “one nation with two states.”

Pascale Baeriswyl “deeply concerned”

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, 67, said in New York: “France strongly condemns the launch of a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan.”

And Switzerland? She does not condemn, but is ‘deeply concerned’, as Swiss UN Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl (55) said on Thursday during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York (US).

Good services? Armenia is silent

Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (62) met the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ararat Mirsojan (43) and Jeyhun Bayramov (50) this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. “An end to hostilities, de-escalation and the protection of the civilian population are crucial. Switzerland is ready to contribute to dialogue and lasting peace if the parties agree,” Cassis wrote on X.

Apparently Switzerland wants to offer its good services. An offer that has so far remained unanswered to the outside world. A spokeswoman for the Armenian Foreign Minister declined to comment to SonntagsBlick.

Criticism of the Swiss Socar business

Cassis’ actions caused outrage among the Armenian diaspora in Switzerland. On Saturday there was a rally on the Münsterplatz in Bern. “Armenia wants peace, Azerbaijan wants war,” read one banner. Another banner pointed out the economic ties between Azerbaijan and Switzerland: the state energy company Socar operates its European activities from Geneva.

One of Cassis’s sharpest critics on the Armenia issue is Stefan Müller-Altermatt (47), a member of the Center National Council. “What the regime in Baku is doing is genocide. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA) does not dare to call it that and is friendly with the dictator,” Müller-Altermatt told SonntagsBlick. Switzerland has campaigned in the Security Council to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. “But that is cynical when you consider that the money used to bomb the Armenians is earned in Switzerland. Sanctions are needed against Azerbaijan. Words will not stop the bloodthirsty dictator.” Altermatt is convinced: “The Armenians need international protection, otherwise they will be slaughtered. It is incomprehensible that Switzerland does not explicitly require this protection.”

“Use of violence not acceptable”

The FDFA rejects the criticism: “Switzerland has underlined that the use of force to resolve conflicts is unacceptable.” Switzerland respects international law and therefore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. And she demands that the rights of minorities be protected and that the rights of the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh be respected.

The Federal Council can only impose sanctions if this is decided by the UN, the OSCE or important trading partners such as the European Union. “At this time there are no decisions related to the current situation surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Source:Blick