France Summons Envoy From Azerbaijan Republic

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited the continuation of unilateral actions by Azerbaijan in recent months, which have damaged the relationship between the two countries.

On the other hand, the Azerbaijani government strongly reacted to this, declaring French actions as destructive. The spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hikmat Hajiyev, stated that Azerbaijan has repeatedly informed France that speaking the language of threat and pressure will not yield any results, and once again declares that it will take all necessary actions to protect its national interests.

France is considered an old ally of Armenia, and has acted as a mediator between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan for the past 25 years. Tensions between the Republic of Azerbaijan and France have escalated since the start of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, and over the past three and a half years, the Azerbaijani government has repeatedly accused Paris of exacerbating the situation and unilaterally supporting Armenia.

Azerbaijan’s concerns stem from France’s military assistance and political support for Armenia at international organizations. The government of Baku believes that France’s attempt to provide Armenia with armament is preparing the ground for a new war in the region. The escalation of tensions between the two countries has led to the expulsion of some of French and Azeri diplomats in recent months.

Azerbaijan’s concerns about Armenia and France’s behavior come at a time when Baku itself receives about 70% of its weapons from the Israeli regime, and President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly made territorial claims against Armenian soil in his speeches. It is also worth mentioning that in recent weeks, local media have reported suspicious military movements by the Azerbaijani army near the southern borders of Armenia and in the Zangezur corridor.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron and other French officials have long expressed concerns about Aliyev’s territorial ambitions and claim that the Azerbaijani president will not stop at this point and has plans for Armenian soil.