European Azerbaijan Centre condemns biased draft resolution by French Parliament

The European Azerbaijan Centre, based in Germany, has issued a strong statement condemning the recent draft resolution introduced in the French National Assembly, describing it as biased and unjustified.

Zaur Aliyev, chairman of the Centre and a board member of the Alliance of Azerbaijanis of Germany, articulated the organisation’s deep concerns, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The statement underscores that the draft resolution contravenes fundamental principles of international law and constitutes unwarranted interference in the sovereign rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It categorises the resolution as a politically motivated initiative. Specifically, the accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Azerbaijan contained in the draft are said to be entirely inconsistent with the provisions of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide as well as international criminal law.

Aliyev’s statement highlights that during anti-terrorist operations carried out within its sovereign territory, Azerbaijan adhered strictly to international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. It further stresses that Azerbaijan ensured the protection of civilians and repeatedly called for the safe and dignified return of persons of Armenian origin who had voluntarily left the region.

The Centre’s statement also challenges the portrayal of Armenia as an alleged “supporter of peace” within the resolution, noting that this depiction conflicts with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884. It draws attention to the glaring omission in the French National Assembly’s document of any reference to the right of return for hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis displaced from West Azerbaijan—an omission described as a blatant violation of Articles 13 and 17 of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Moreover, the statement criticises France for acting as a partisan supporter of Armenia rather than maintaining a neutral stance in the South Caucasus region. It accuses France of supplying military equipment to Armenia and encouraging revanchist forces, actions said to contravene the principles of peace and conflict resolution enshrined in Articles 1 and 33 of the UN Charter. Such conduct is described as a threat to regional security and stability and as undermining broader peace efforts.

Concluding, the European Azerbaijan Centre reaffirmed that respect for international law and the UN Charter must be the foundation for achieving a just and lasting peace in the region. The statement calls on the French parliament and political leaders to abandon their biased position, adhere strictly to international law, and respect Azerbaijan’s sovereign rights.

By Vafa Guliyeva