The illustration of the European Union as a "garden" and the rest of the world as a "jungle" is the most regrettable, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to President of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, said on X in response to European diplomacy chief Josep Borrell, according to Report.
"This statement reminds nothing other than the the colonial era narrative of 'we and barbarians'," he said.
"Small island developing states suffer the most from climate change, as do the overseas regions of EU member states. However, overseas regions which are deprived of self-governance, couldn’t voice their concerns and they have been ignored. At COP29, Azerbaijan in an inclusive manner provides platform for every voice to be heard. Being EU MS doesn’t give any privilege to anyone to maintain neo/colonial rule and reject the concept of decolonization. Considering that some EU MS used to practice notorious colonial rule and shameful slave trade," Hajiyev noted.
He said that Azerbaijan, as a host COP29, is commended by the wider international community.
"But it is utterly unacceptable that EU EAAS sent instructions to EU MS not to attend COP29. In the same vein, some EU MS also used their diplomatic network to discourage other countries from attending COP29. By doing that you have tried to undermine the credibility of COP process. But all of these attempts have failed. 80+heads of state and government attended COP. 70.000 + participants are registered. Just wanted to remind that the COP process belongs to the UN and world," the presidential assistant said.
He noted that regardless of all these futile attacks Azerbaijan, as a host and chair of COP29, will continue to do its utmost best to ensure inclusivity of COP and work constructively with the parties to deliver the anticipated results on global climate action agenda.