Yerevan /Mediamax/. In a video-conference with the new Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov on July 16, President Ilham Aliyev criticized the Azeri diplomats and partner states.

Here are some extracts from Aliyev’s speech quoted by Trend news agency.

“They committed a treason”

“Some of our diplomats abroad are turning into envoys of countries they work in. This must end. Some diplomats have betrayed their state, committed treason and are not hiding it.”

“Worse than Armenians”

“The overwhelming majority of elements that are currently conducting a dirty campaign against Azerbaijan, posing as Azerbaijanis but in fact behaving worse than Armenians, are under the control of special services of countries they live in.

We have enough information on the matter. Our special services have repeatedly informed their colleagues from partner countries about this. They said: we know that you are directing this person, someone has been given a house, dirty speeches of this particular person are written in your institution. We know all this.”

“The goal is to weaken Azerbaijan”

“This is evidence of these countries’ hypocrisy. In person they are talking about partnership, but in fact they conduct a campaign against us. The purpose of this is to weaken Azerbaijan, shake it, spread ultimate lies about the leaders of Azerbaijan.”

“Undermine national values”

“This is a well-planned policy, aimed at undermining the national values that the Azerbaijani people have preserved for centuries, undermining our moral foundations. Such dirty methods, lies and slander have never been used in our history. It is imported from outside. Therefore, our diplomats need to act against this.”