Baku rejects Macron's accusations against Azerbaijan

Baku/06.10.23/Turan: Official Baku strongly condemns and rejects "unfounded accusations" voiced by French President Emmanuel Macron against Azerbaijan on 5 October at a press conference in Granada after the European Political Community summit.

"The statements of the French President on the refusal of  Azerbaijan and Turkey'  participation in Granada are an example of hypocrisy," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in its commentary.

At the same time, it is emphasized that it was the French side that opposed Turkey's joining the five-sided meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, France and Germany, as well as the President of the EU Council.

"It is unacceptable that France, remembered in history for its genocide policy and as the only country that has not joined the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities among the European Union member states, is trying to teach a lesson about minority rights to Azerbaijan, where many peoples live in peace and confidence, forming a model with multicultural and multi-ethnic values," the statement further said.

As for France's "fair mediation", it has acted in this capacity for 23 years and all this time it has "disregarded the massacres of Azerbaijanis, violence against IDPs and refugees, ignored 4 UN Security Council resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan."

Azerbaijan has not occupied the territory of any country, and the claim that the territories where Azerbaijani forces are stationed on the delimited conditional border belong to Armenia are devoid of legal grounds and logic.

"We would like to remind the French side calling to put pressure on Azerbaijan that it is senseless and unacceptable to talk to Azerbaijan in the language of pressure," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry further noted in its commentary.

Baku advised Paris to stop "the policy aimed at supporting and arming aggressive Armenia, which hinders peace and stability in the region."

"Azerbaijan is implementing appropriate measures for the reintegration of Armenian residents within the framework of the Constitution and legislation of Azerbaijan. Our country, as always, is the most interested party in peacebuilding in our region on the basis of mutual respect for Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's commentary concluded.

The previous day in Granada, Macron "condemned" Azerbaijan "for conducting military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh". "France has no problems with Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan seems to have problems with international law," Macron further said.

However, he said, "it is not yet time for Europe to impose sanctions against Azerbaijan."  "Sanctions against "Azerbaijan will be counterproductive and will not allow for the best defence of Armenia's territory and its inhabitants," Macron noted.

Macron also noted that "Europe will continue attempts to bring Aliyev to the negotiating table." -06В-