France recalls ambassador to Azerbaijan, accuses Baku of 'damaging' ties
- In Reports
- 12:59 PM, Apr 17, 2024
- Myind Staff
On Tuesday, France announced it has recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan for consultations, citing actions taken by Baku that have adversely affected the bilateral relationship.
President Emmanuel Macron met with Ambassador Anne Boillon in Paris to address the matter, according to a statement from the foreign ministry. The statement accused Azerbaijan of continuing "in recent months unilateral actions damaging to the relationship between our two countries".
The relationship between Azerbaijan and France, which has historically been an ally of Armenia and is home to a substantial Armenian diaspora community, has frequently been strained by tensions revolving around the Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Following its seizure by Armenian separatists during the dissolution of the USSR, Azerbaijani forces reclaimed control of a significant portion of the region during a conflict in 2020. Subsequently, they swiftly regained control of the remaining part in a rapid offensive launched in September 2023.
Macron and other French officials have consistently expressed apprehension that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev may not stop there and could have ambitions for Armenian territory.
In his meeting with Boillon, the French president said he "regretted Azerbaijan's actions and expressed a wish for clarification by the Azerbaijani side of its intentions", the foreign ministry said.
Efforts have been made to advance discussions aimed at normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but thus far, they have yielded minimal progress.
"France reiterates its support for the normalisation of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia while respecting international law and the territorial integrity of the two countries," the ministry said.
As Armenia's relations with Moscow deteriorate, the country is increasingly turning to France for defence cooperation.
In February, Armenia struck a deal with French arms manufacturer PGM for the purchase of precision rifles, although the exact price of the deal was not disclosed.
In October 2023, France announced the sale of defence equipment -- three radar systems and night vision goggles -- to Armenia, provoking anger from Azerbaijan.
Image source: Reuters
Comments