Azerbaijan summons French ambassador over COP29 criticism, arms supply to Armenia

On November 20, 2024, Anne Boillon, the French Ambassador to Azerbaijan, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to significant objections raised over France's actions regarding the COP29 conference in Baku. 

During the meeting, Azerbaijan expressed discontent over France's criticism of the Azerbaijani presidency in the lead-up to and during the high-profile international event, Caliber.Az reports per Foreign Ministry.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised the country's dissatisfaction with several key French actions.

"It was emphasized that the calls for a boycott of this prestigious UN event, which Azerbaijan was hosting, France’s encouragement of several Heads of States to refrain from attending the event, as well as adoption of a resolution that unfairly criticized the presidency and our global efforts to combat climate change in general by the European Parliament with France's particular efforts at the beginning of the COP29 are unacceptable," the Ministry said.

In addition to the COP29-related issues, Azerbaijan also raised concerns about France's military support for Armenia, accusing France of fuelling militarism and revanchism in the region.

"Furthermore, it was brought to the attention that the actions of France, which conducts Armenia's massive arms supply and promotes militarism and revanchism undermine the peace process," the Ministry added.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry concluded the meeting by demanding France to cease its actions targeting the country and endangering the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"France was vehemently demanded to put an end to the actions targeting Azerbaijan and jeopardizing the normalization process," the statement read.

By Aghakazim Guliyev