Hikmat Hajiyev: Armenian diaspora financing terrorism

Armenian Diaspora is in fact financing terrorism, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said.

According to Hajiyev, in order to compensate for the large losses on the battlefield, Armenia attracts financial resources by mobilizing various non-governmental (NGO) and charitable organizations of the Diaspora in foreign countries (‘We are our borders - All for Artsakh’ donation campaign, Armenia Fund, Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario, Fund for Armenian Relief, Tufenkian Foundation, Armenian Relief Society, and others).

He said that the funds received through non-governmental and charitable organizations run by the diaspora are directed to finance Armenian Armed Forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, thereby encouraging the next attacks of Armenia on the civilian population of Azerbaijan.

"The fact is proved by the correspondence in social media and networks between Armenians living abroad. It’s not the first time when the diaspora abroad, abusing non-governmental and charitable organizations, uses the funds to support illegal activities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, continue the occupation, as well as to purchase weapons for the occupier troops. Over the past 30 years, the Armenian Diaspora has been active in this direction, deceiving the taxpayers of the respective countries," the president’s assistant noted.

"Transfers of funds were made to the illegal regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan without any control, which is the financing of terrorism. In accordance with the provisions of the 1999 International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and 4 UN Security Council Resolutions Nos. 1373 (2001), 2178 (2014), 2195 (2014) and 2347 (2017), the above activities of non-profit organizations are regarded as terrorism financing," the head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration said.

"States should take proactive measures to prevent such activities. In this view, Azerbaijan calls on the UN member countries to prevent the use of their territories to finance the Armenian terror directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country," Hajyev added.