Baku hopes U.S. administration will not make historic mistake

By Azernews

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijani Presidential Aide Hikmat Hajiyev has said that hopefully, the US administration will not make a historic mistake by recognizing the 1915 events as "genocide".

He made the remarks in an interview with the Azertag news agency on April 23 in reaction to international media reports that US President Joe Biden is preparing to recognize the so-called genocide of Armenians.

"Everyone knows Azerbaijan's firm and unequivocal position on the so-called and false Armenian genocide. If such a step is taken by the new US administration, it will be a historic mistake. Azerbaijan has always opposed attempts to recognize the so-called Armenian genocide. The recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide is a falsification of history. History must be studied by historians. If this happens, Azerbaijan will strongly condemn it," Hajiyev said.

He reminded that President Ilham Aliyev had repeatedly stated that a step against Turkey is a step against Azerbaijan, and any step against Azerbaijan is against Turkey.

"We would like to hope that the US administration will not make a historic mistake," the presidential aide said.

Turkey is against presenting the 1915 incidents as “genocide,” rather calling them a tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians suffered casualties in the heat of World War I.

According to the U.S. media, Biden is expected to recognize the events of 1915 as genocide on April 24.