Baku, December 1, AZERTAC

“Following the adoption of the notorious resolution by the French Senate on 15 November 2022, the National Assembly of France organized a biased political act against Azerbaijan on 30 November, demonstrating explicit disregard for the norms and principles of international law, targeting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country and adopting an insidious, biased and unfair document. The resolutions adopted by the French Senate and the National Assembly indicate that the legislative bodies of this country have become a field of political escapades. We vehemently condemn this resolution by the French National Assembly and consider it as a manifestation of political hypocrisy,” says a statement by the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan of 1 December 2022 regarding the resolution adopted by the French National Assembly.

The statement also says: “It is undeniable that during the nearly 30 years of occupation of Azerbaijani territory by Armenia, the main reasons for the failure of efforts to resolve the conflict through negotiations were the fact that the aggressor state was not called by its name, the countries that undertook the mediating mission, in particular France, demonstrated double standards, the occupying state and the victim of occupation were treated in the same manner, the demands stated in the UN Security Council's known resolutions were not fulfilled, the necessary determination in relation to Armenia’s defiance of international law was not displayed and a number of attempts were made to actually encourage it in its actions. It is regrettable that the latest provocative actions by French authorities, including those by both chambers of the French parliament, are harming the implementation of the peace agenda and the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, serve the goals of the Armenian chauvinist ideology based on territorial claims against neighboring states, encourage are revanchist and aggressive separatist forces, and exposes the region to renewed threats. It is unacceptable for France’s internal political agenda, which is based on populist views and the interests of various lobby groups, to be exported to the South Caucasus region.

The fact that the resolution turns a blind eye to Armenia's 30-year policy of aggression and ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijan, the Khojaly genocide, the firing of ballistic missiles on the cities of Azerbaijan during the 44-day war, the destruction of nine Azerbaijani cities and over 300 villages during the occupation, the policy of mine terrorism, the facts that almost 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens went missing and Armenia does not provide information on the location of mass graves are clear evidence that the resolution is nothing more than a cheap political order.

On the other hand, France, which is groundlessly accusing Azerbaijan of war crimes against Armenia, has itself a history of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The atrocities committed by France, which occupied the territory of more than 50 states in different regions of the world, looted their national wealth and kept their people in slavery for many years, the crimes against humanity and war crimes France has perpetrated, represent dark pages of human history. During the colonial years, the French armed forces massacred hundreds of thousands of civilians on the basis of their ethnic and religious affiliation and was openly engaged in slave trade. France’s crimes of genocide are an indelible stain on its political history.

France has yet to return to their rightful owners a number of territories classified as decolonized and continues to follow the path of annexation of these territories based on the policy of neocolonialism. It is undeniable that racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism have reached extreme levels in France. French politicians must not forget that colonialism is a crime against humanity.

As an independent state, the Republic of Azerbaijan develops relations with all countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Everyone must understand that the great Victory the people of Azerbaijan won in the 44-day Patriotic War in the fall of 2020 ensured the restoration of the territorial integrity and justice for the Republic of Azerbaijan. By liberating Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur, which are ancient historical lands, the state of Azerbaijan ensured the implementation of the decisions of the UN and other international organizations using its own strength. Thus, the historic mission of preventing and eliminating the consequences of Armenia’s policy of aggression and ethnic cleansing against the people and the state of Azerbaijan for a long period of time has been successfully fulfilled.

Therefore, members of the French parliament should give up the practice of distorting the events in the South Caucasus and put an end to the rhetoric and actions that could hamper the historic opportunity for the establishment of interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It would be more useful and expedient for the French National Assembly to have an impartial review of France’s colonial history and to give it a correct political and legal assessment, to fulfill its obligations on preventing the rampant racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in France, and to listen to the concerns of the ordinary people of France.”