The International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) has issued a strong statement condemning the comments made by Canada’s Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader, Mark Carney, on April 24 regarding the 110th anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide.
In the statement signed by IEPF President Umud Mirzayev, it was emphasized that Carney’s remarks were baseless, biased, and constitute a direct threat to potential peace in the region.
The full text of the statement is as follows:
“On April 24, 2025, the Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Liberal Party, Mark Carney, made a statement concerning the developments between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a statement which was unfounded, disconnected from historical realities, and constitutes a blatant disregard for ongoing peace initiatives and the principles of international law.
As the International Eurasia Press Fund, we unequivocally condemn such provocative and one-sided declarations. We consider these remarks dangerous steps that could create fertile ground for new tensions in the South Caucasus region.
Mr. Carney’s reference to "forced displacement" does not correspond to reality. In 2023, Armenians voluntarily left Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region without being subjected to any violence or coercion. On the contrary, the Azerbaijani government provided them with humanitarian assistance. Observers from the United Nations and other international organizations confirmed that no incidents of violence were recorded in the area.
In stark contrast, over the past 30 years, as a result of Armenia’s policy of occupation, more than one million Azerbaijanis were brutally expelled from their native lands, murdered, their towns and villages razed, cemeteries desecrated, and cultural heritage destroyed. Throughout the last century, Azerbaijanis were forcibly deported from present-day Armenian territory on several occasions, most notably in 1988–1989.
As one of nearly a million Azerbaijani refugees who suffered from the devastation of this conflict, we wish to remind Mr. Carney that true peace cannot be built by falsifying history. It must be rooted in justice and objectivity.
Today, Azerbaijan is taking concrete and constructive steps toward the signing of a peace agreement. Armenia, however, continues to cling to revanchist rhetoric.
In such a sensitive period, from a country like Canada and its Prime Minister, one would expect not biased and emotional statements, but rather a fair and balanced position that would genuinely support the establishment of sustainable peace in the region.
As an international non-governmental organization with more than 30 years of experience in promoting peace and cooperation in the region, the International Eurasia Press Fund strongly condemns such irresponsible declarations and reaffirms its commitment to opposing any actions that could undermine peace.”
It should be noted that the statement, signed in English, was sent directly to the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada.
