Meeting of EU special rep with so-called “FM of Karabakh” promotes separatism, says Azerbaijani expert

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:

The meeting of the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar with separatist David Babayan, posing as the so-called “foreign minister of Karabakh” held during his visit to Armenia on April 14, contradicts the mandate of the Estonian diplomat and promotes separatism, political observer Elchin Mirzabeyli told Trend.

According to Mirzabeyli, Toivo Klaar understands very well that Azerbaijan is very sensitive and uncompromising in matters of territorial integrity and sovereignty, which was explained to him in detail during the meetings held in Baku before the 44-day Second Karabakh War.

“As an experienced diplomat who held senior positions in the Estonian foreign and defense ministries, Toivo Klaar should not forget what difficulties official Tallinn faced in the first years of independence regarding the “Prinarvi” separatist movement and attempts to create a “Prinarva Republic”, as well as regarding the illegal referendum held by separatists on July 16, 1993, in the Estonian cities of Narva and Sillamäe on the annexation of these territories to Russia,” the political observer said.

“In this regard, Toivo Klaar’s meeting with the separatists should be viewed as an attempt to continue the conflict, support revanchism, and defend separatism and terrorism. I hope that Toivo Klaar has not forgotten the incident with his predecessor, German Herbert Salber, in 2017. Salber’s visit to South Ossetia, his statements, as well as his congratulations to Anatoly Babilov on the occasion of his “election as president” provoked strong protests from Georgia, which led to Salber’s resignation,” Mirzabeyli added.