 According to the Ministry, "de Waal had chosen 'scare tactics' as a means of persuading the Armenian party to the conflict" and "Thomas de Waal ... under the cover of an expert-peacemaker practically calls Azerbaijan to unleash a new big war in the South Caucasus.Meanwhile, it seems to him that he and his like will not be responsible for anything.But he is mistaken…"

The President of the Armenian Academy of Political Research, Professor Alexander Manasyan, in reviewing "Black Garden", wrote that de Waal "supports the point of view which is steered by the propaganda" of Baku.