Le Figaro confession: France's failed policy towards Azerbaijan exposed
Pressure on Baku proved pointless

ANALYTICS  28 March 2024 - 12:55

Caliber.Az has repeatedly written about France's destructive policy in the South Caucasus, its support for revanchist forces in Armenia and the rearmament of Yerevan. Suffering defeats in Africa, driven out of the “overseas territories,” Macron’s France, nevertheless, is literally gushing with geopolitical intrigues, trying by any means to gain a foothold in the region.

As Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev clearly noted when receiving the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Martin Chungong in February this year, Paris in this case proceeds from the principle of “adding gasoline to the fire.”

France, receiving a slap on the hand from Azerbaijan (a state clearly not in the same weight category as it), should have already used common sense and taken for granted that its policy of strengthening its presence in the South Caucasus region is doomed to failure. And, apparently, this simple truth began to reach the Elysee Palace. This is clearly indicated by an article in the oldest French daily newspaper Le Figaro, in which the French reluctantly admit that they desperately tried to put a spoke in the wheels of Azerbaijan, to tie it up by its hands and feet, but they failed.

Thus, in the article with the eloquent title "Termination of Nagorno-Karabakh. Chronicle of an unfulfilled French promise" (La disparition du Haut-Karabakh, chronique d'une promesse française intenable) says that 6 months after Azerbaijan's lightning-fast anti-terrorist operation, Le Figaro once again returns to the subject of Karabakh.

The narrative begins with the fact that pro-Armenian French writer Sylvain Tesson was sure: Emmanuel Macron's visit to the "Lachin corridor" could change the situation.

"Didn't Emmanuel Macron declare, 'We will never abandon the Armenians'?" The statements were reminiscent of remarks made by the head of state two years earlier in the Latvian capital Riga condemning Turkey's "bellicose messages" that "encourage Azerbaijan to invade." Days before the start of the 44-day war in which Baku took 70% of the Karabakh region, the head of state promised in a bellicose manner, "We will never accept it. France will play its role," the publication writes.

The author goes on to recall that "on September 19 and 20, Azerbaijan led its army in an offensive against the settlements of Karabakh", as a result of which the Karabakh junta officially declared the end of its existence. Since then, Baku has not been subjected to any sanctions, except for condemnatory statements.

The publication notes that in January 2023, a group of pro-Armenian activists and journalists gathered at the Elysee Palace. Among them were Pascal Bruckner, Olivier Weber and soccer player Youri Djorkaeff.

"President Macron listened to them attentively, then took the floor. Hugues Dewavrin, vice-president of the non-governmental organization Guilde européenne du Raid, said: He briefed us on a number of sensitive issues. He carefully read the note that we had prepared with his diplomatic adviser Isabelle Dumont.

The note spoke about the need for President Macron's visit (to Armenia - ed.) and suggested organizing a humanitarian conference to come to the aid of the Armenians in Karabakh. And, finally, it was recommended to launch a French civil-military operation (!?).

In order to resolve the issue through negotiations, Emmanuel Macron held numerous telephone conversations with the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia. To no avail. A diplomatic source notes that ‘Macron may be the only foreign leader who has talked most with President Ilham Aliyev,’" Le Figaro writes.

Then preparations for the humanitarian conference began. However, without explanation, the conference was cancelled several days before the expected date. A diplomatic source told the French publication that “despite all efforts, at that time there was not even a minimum consensus between the parties whose participation is expected. According to various sources, the project was cancelled due to a protest from Washington. For 6 months after that, no new initiatives came from Paris.”

Then the Armenian diaspora took over the baton. Co-chairman of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF) Franck (Mourad) Papazian put pressure on Macron to deliver humanitarian aid. Papazian said: “He told me: this is a very good idea, I agree.” But nothing happened. Dashnak is sure that the reason is again “lack of partners.”

The French media asks the question: why is France alone? And itself answers: 27 European countries are busy with Ukraine. In addition, the European Union and Baku signed a gas agreement in July 2022, opening a new chapter in energy cooperation.

Thus, no resolution proposing sanctions against Azerbaijan has been adopted due to the lack of a unified position. MEP Nathalie Loiseau, who is closely involved in the Armenian issue, assures, "We fought strongly, but several countries that are pinning their hopes on hydrocarbons were not ready to go down this path." And noted Italy and Hungary. As for Germany, according to Le Figaro, Chancellor Scholz, like Charles Michel, is convinced that mediation between Baku and Yerevan is possible.

Further, French journalists lament that even the Vatican has been left out. Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to the Pope in October 2022, took Sylvain Tesson with him so that the latter could "put in a good word" about Armenia.

"The writer was stunned by the indifference of the Pope and his Foreign Minister Gallagher. He recounted: ‘When the fate of the Armenians was mentioned, they both showed complete indifference, and even aggressiveness’," the article noted.

The newspaper recognizes that despite the fact that the Senate adopted anti-Azerbaijani resolutions, various French politicians and deputies travelled to the conditional border between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the direction of Lachin, nevertheless, Baku remained adamant and did not allow any of them to enter its territory.

"The French Foreign Ministry remained calm. Catherine Colonna visited Yerevan only after Azerbaijan's military operation on September 19-20, 2023 and announced the delivery of military equipment.

At the European summit in Granada, which Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to attend, Emmanuel Macron said that 'now is not the time to impose sanctions against Baku.' He pledged to call his Azerbaijani counterpart to 'keep the pressure on and protect Armenia in the best way possible.' Baku in turn accused France of arming Armenia and preparing a new war in the Caucasus. In February 2024, Aliyev, who was re-elected president, said in his inaugural speech that he did not want international mediation in the conflict with Armenia. And he threw back at France: 'Mind your own business'," Le Figaro wrote.

As we can see, France did not even manage to form an anti-Azerbaijani coalition in Europe. As a result, the French were forced to recognize that France's policy towards Azerbaijan was a fiasco. Paris must realize once and for all that it is senseless and unacceptable to talk to Azerbaijan in the language of pressure.

Caliber.Az