In an open letter to Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, the Armenian National Committee of Greece has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the participation of the country’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolaos Piperigos in a visit to the occupied regions of Artsakh.
The letter reads:
“Dear Minister,
With surprise and great discomfort we learned of the participation of the Ambassador of Greece to Azerbaijan Mr. Nikolaos Piperigkou in a provocative celebration organized by the Aliyev regime and included other diplomats accredited in Azerbaijan in the occupied Armenian city of Shushi in Artsakh.
Following literally Ankara’s demands and similar provocative celebrations organized by [Turkish President] Erdogan in occupied Cyprus, the President of Azerbaijan invited representatives of states to ‘celebrate’ with him.
To celebrate what?
The hateful work of Azerbaijan that continues to violate the agreements and invade the sovereign territory of Armenia?
Or to ‘honor’ a dictator who still illegally holds Armenian soldiers and civilian captive after the end of the catastrophic war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)?
It was no coincidence that the countries of the Minsk Group (Russia, the United States and France), as well as Germany and the United Kingdom, refused to abstain from the shameful visit, which was intended to disorient public opinion from the horrific crimes of Azerbaijan and the European Parliament’s resolution, which on May 20 by an overwhelming majority set a strong framework, criticizing Azerbaijan for its criminal practices against Armenia and Artsakh.
Unfortunately, the whole event had multiple messages, to which Greece should be the first to react, since the celebration was organized inside the sanctuary of the historic Gazanchetsots Church, with a decayed dome and vandalized conversions reminiscent of similar practices applied in the case of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
We believe that the presence of the representatives of the states, but mainly of Greece, encourages the outrageous and arrogant regime of President Aliyev.
The Armenian National Committee, as well as the Armenian Community of Greece as a whole, express their strong dissatisfaction with the participation of the representative of our country in this parody.
You know very well that Azerbaijan, by faithfully copying its mentor, is grossly violating the rules of international law. What is the purpose of the support provided by Greece in this critical time?
Armenia considers Greece as her most important ally. We want to believe that the same is true for Greece.”
