by Melisa Gevorgyan
On August 21, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev once again resorted to hostile and Armenophobic rhetoric, declaring: “This [Armenian] society is sick, and I say this openly.” This statement is yet another demonstration that Baku continues to propagate hatred against Armenian people at a state level.
These words cannot be dismissed as mere rhetoric. They are directed against an entire people, fuelling hostility and passing intolerance to future generations. Moreover, such statements are in direct contradiction with Azerbaijan’s international obligations, including the agreement mediated by US President Donald Trump, which explicitly contains provisions prohibiting intolerance, racial hatred and discrimination.
At the same time, the Armenian government repeatedly stresses its willingness to pursue peace. Yerevan frames itself as a constructive partner, ready for normalization and reconciliation. However, Aliyev’s own words reveal a fundamentally different agenda. In his speech, Aliyev also declared:
“I say this as the Supreme Commander of a victorious country and as a participant in the reconciliation process with defeated Armenia. We do not want war. We want peace. But that bloody history must never be forgotten. We must not be deceived by sweet words and must always remain vigilant… We continue to strengthen our military potential. Since the Second Karabakh War, we have increased our special forces by the thousands, both in the Caspian Sea and in other branches of the armed forces.”
This is not the language of peace. It is the language of a leader who, while paying lip service to reconciliation, openly glorifies revenge, weaponizes historical grievances, and presents Armenians as an eternal enemy.
Most importantly, four days have passed, and Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has remained silent. No official statement has been issued, nor has any attempt been made to bring international attention to this expression of hatred. This ignorance is not mere oversight, but a pattern of complacency. In the international opinion, silence is not neutrality – it is consent.
Let us imagine, for a moment, if Armenia’s leadership had uttered such words about Azerbaijanis. Within hours, Azerbaijan would launch a full-scale diplomatic campaign, mobilizing allies, and filling every international platform with accusations of “Armenian racism” and “genocide denial”. The contrast could not be any clearer, while Azerbaijan weaponizes every word for maximum political leverage, Armenia allows even the gravest insults to pass unanswered.
This is a dangerous mistake. When a head of state dehumanizes an entire people and threatens them with military strength, silence from the targeted nation’s government is nothing less than an abdication of responsibility. If the Armenian government cannot defend its people against words, how can it expect to defend them against actions?
