Farce of French diplomacy Barrot’s incoherent attack on Azerbaijan

"Thank you, esteemed senators, for raising questions to the government regarding the unacceptable actions of a group called the 'Baku Initiative Group,' which is based in Azerbaijan and linked to its authorities through malicious digital and physical manoeuvres targeting our regions, departments, overseas territories, as well as Corsica and, in particular, New Caledonia."

This pompous statement comes from none other than France's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, who, for the second time in recent days, has complained about Azerbaijan. On January 25, Barrot wrote in a statement on X: "The ‘Baku Group’ has again sought to destabilize our national politics in New Caledonia. These unsuccessful attempts by Azerbaijan in our overseas territories are unacceptable and must cease immediately."

Much has already been written about this, and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has even published a response. Therefore, we will now focus on the latest speech by the head of French diplomacy.

Yes, it was indeed a speech, as Barrot delivered these remarks during a Senate session. However, not everything that qualifies as a speech bears the mark of quality. In Barrot’s case, his address in the Senate felt more like a vaudeville act with elements of a thriller.

Behold: “This group has clearly demonstrated its intention to interfere in our public discourse and harm the fundamental interests of the nation, namely our territorial integrity and public security. Therefore, we will not allow this, and on November 19, 2024, I summoned the Azerbaijani ambassador in Paris to express our absolute condemnation of these actions and to demand that their authorities put an end to them.”

Listening to Barrot, one might think that all the world’s evil first manifested itself in Azerbaijan before descending upon France. Or perhaps the anti-colonial movement in the overseas territories truly poses an unprecedented threat to France? Though it seems the valiant French enforcers of order did not allow any harm to befall their nation and successfully repelled the enemy’s attack.

Here’s how Barrot describes it: “This is why, in December, the Viginum service, which detects foreign digital interference, published a detailed report demonstrating the scale of these manoeuvres, their inauthentic nature, and their failure to achieve their intended goals.”

So, the gallant French cyber specialists have reported their victory over the enemy. What follows takes on the tone of outright farce: “And if the interference you mentioned took place in the form of a video conference, that is because we prevented the participation of Azerbaijani authorities in this forum, organised by this group, through sanctions.”

As I read this, I can't shake off a sense of déjà vu—Barrot’s report feels remarkably like the classic French comedies about gendarmes starring Louis de Funès. In those films, bumbling gendarmes would report to an equally inept commissioner, only to stumble into yet another embarrassing fiasco.

This time, however, the embarrassment came straight from the French diplomat himself. “Together with the Minister for Overseas Territories, we stand with you, we support the people of New Caledonia, urging them not to fall into this trap, and we call on Azerbaijan—which is disgracing itself, discrediting itself, and effectively sanctioning itself—to cease supporting such manoeuvres, to put an end to them, and to resolve any disagreements with France through diplomacy rather than interference,” Barrot lamented passionately.

Something doesn’t quite add up here. If you’re achieving your desired outcome through sanctions, then why are you pleading with us to do nothing? And another question—how exactly is Azerbaijan “disgracing” itself? Since when has the noble cause of supporting the fight against colonialism been a source of shame? It may provoke irritation or even hostility, but shame? Never. On the contrary, Azerbaijan is earning honour—not just in the eyes of those resisting colonial rule but also among all conscientious people around the world, including within France itself.

In fact, Barrot’s final words betray a sense of desperation. This desperation manifests in the fact that Paris is now essentially calling on Baku to discuss their differences at the negotiating table.

Isn’t this exactly what President Ilham Aliyev recently spoke about? About how the French, through various channels, have been proposing meetings to normalise relations? It certainly seems so. However, the problem—again, as the president pointed out—is that they are unwilling to take the decisive step and come to Baku. And that is precisely what they should do because they were the ones who initiated the vile anti-Azerbaijani hysteria, pursued an openly hostile policy against Azerbaijan, and engaged in actions that called our country’s territorial integrity into question.

Yet Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over its historical land—Karabakh—is indisputable, unlike France’s so-called sovereignty over its “overseas territories,” which were brutally conquered, ruthlessly exploited, and continue to be exploited to this day.

Instead of staging theatrical performances in parliament, Paris must do two simple things: end its colonial policies toward its “overseas territories” and Corsica, and, by ceasing its destabilising actions in the South Caucasus, take a step toward Baku by sending a delegation with genuine intentions.