Le Drian's behavior is contrary to Macron's messages - Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry

Baku/18.01.22/Turan: Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry condemned the statements of the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, addressed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry pointed out the contradiction between the statements of Le Drian and the messages expressed by French President Macron at a meeting with Aliyev late last year.

"Unfortunately, on January 18, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian made a statement in the National Assembly of France that did not befit a diplomat," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva said in her commentary.

In particular, Le Drian, expressing his attitude towards the words of the President of Azerbaijan about the illegal visit of French presidential candidate Valerie Pekres to the Karabakh region, called them "unacceptable in form and content".

"The irresponsible and unacceptable comment of Minister Le Drian on the words of the head of another state is contrary to diplomatic traditions. We note with regret that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, a country with deep traditions of statehood, does not understand that," said Abdullayeva.

At the same time she noted that President Ilham Aliyev's words about Valerie Pekres and her entourage's illegal trip to Azerbaijan are completely legal and it is an adequate response to those who violate Azerbaijani laws.   

The fact that Pekres is a French presidential candidate gives her no privilege to be above the laws of Azerbaijan. "She should be perceived as a citizen of a foreign country. We remind that foreign citizens bear administrative or criminal responsibility if they illegally visit the territories of Azerbaijan," Abdullayeva continued.

She also recalled that during and after the 44-day war, the French government supported the occupier Armenia and both chambers of the Parliament of France adopted decisions, recognizing the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" which has not been recognized even by Armenia.  

Abdullayeva also said that Le Drian's comments run counter to the message sent by French President Emmanuel Macron to President Ilham Aliyev at their meeting last month in Brussels.

She said that if in the future any representative of France or any other state makes an illegal visit to the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, then all the necessary measures will be taken against this person within the framework of the Constitution of Azerbaijan.

On January 12, President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview to Azerbaijani TV channels that Valérie Pekres together with the European Commissioner for Internal Trade Michel Barnier and one of the French MPs had secretly got into Karabakh through the Lachin corridor (21-23 December 2021 -ed). "They went there secretly and returned. When they came back, the news came that they must have been afraid that we would stop them in the Lachin corridor. Because if we had known they were there, we definitely would not have let them come back."

On December 23, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry put Pekres and other French nationals on the list of persons banned from entering Azerbaijan for visiting the country illegally.  In connection with this visit, the Chargé d'Affaires ad Interim of France in Azerbaijan was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affair, where he was handed a note of protest.-068-