Azerbaijani ambassador in Paris rejects Armenian premier's anti-Baku claims

At a panel discussion held within the framework of the Paris Peace Forum, Azerbaijani Ambassador to France Leyla Abdullayeva responded to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the moderator, who addressed biased questions about Azerbaijan.

Nikol Pashinyan, during a panel discussion in which he took part along with his Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashvili, accused Azerbaijan of the fact that the five-party meeting did not take place in Granada, adding that Azerbaijan refused the previously agreed meeting, APA reports.

Leyla Abdullayeva, who spoke as a listener at the discussion, first drew attention to the bias of the moderator’s questions:

“Moderator, you emphasized that you are concerned about the `threats’ that Azerbaijan is making in France against Armenia. Let me point out that these `threats’ are completely wide of the mark. This is due to the fact that Azerbaijan is still restoring sovereignty over its territories recognized by the international community. We have actually acquired what, according to international law, belongs to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has always repeatedly declared its interest in peace. It didn’t just state, Azerbaijan was the initiator of the process of normalizing relations with Armenia immediately after the war in 2020, and, of course, Azerbaijan is a supporter of direct dialogue with Armenia.”

Leyla Abdullayeva later responded to Nikol Pashinyan’s accusations.

“I think that the position of the Azerbaijani president regarding the meeting in Granada was clearly formulated. The day before the meeting in Granada, the French foreign minister visited Armenia and announced a decision on arms supplies to Armenia. Was this decision to arm Armenia and support revanchist ideology in the country really aimed at serving peace and normalization in the region? On the other hand, France intended to act as a mediator. So, a country that openly sides with another country and openly arms it then says it is a mediator. On the other hand, the leaders refused the participation of the Turkish president. These explanations were clearly expressed by Azerbaijan.”

Leyla Abdullayeva's speech was met with applause from the audience in the hall. Nikol Pashinyan took the microphone, but instead of answering the Azerbaijani ambassador, he did not respond to the arguments she voiced but changed the topic, saying Azerbaijan calls Armenia Western Azerbaijan.