French professor: Azerbaijan’s return of Karabakh sparks negative reaction in Paris

The relationship between Azerbaijan and several Western countries, particularly France, has noticeably shifted since 2020, with the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity eliciting strong reactions, a French professor has stated.

Christian Vallard, a professor of public law at the University of the French Riviera, made these remarks during a conference titled "France and the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict," Caliber.Az reports.

Vallard noted that Azerbaijan's reclamation of 20% of its internationally recognized territories had provoked a notably negative response from several nations, including France.

"France has consistently supported Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Before 2020, the relationship between Baku and Paris developed dynamically and productively. During my first visit in 2017, I met with French diplomats in Baku, who highlighted the potential for further growth in trade and economic relations. However, after 2020, all of these positive developments came to a halt. Azerbaijan occupies a crucial position in the South Caucasus region," Vallard said.

According to Vallard, the cooling of relations between Azerbaijan and France can be largely attributed to the influence of the Armenian diaspora.

This view was echoed by Chairman of the Center of Analysis of International Relations (CAIR) Farid Shafiyev. He suggested that while Azerbaijan maintains constructive ties with several European countries, a crisis in its relations with France has emerged.

“This crisis has been created by France itself. Azerbaijan has always sought positive engagement with a country that is a member of the UN Security Council. We have established economic relations and cooperate in the energy sector. One of the factors contributing to the deterioration of our relations is the Armenian diaspora," Shafiyev explained.

Shafiyev also emphasized the importance of continuing research related to France and the study of the French language. He further noted that the French embassy had recently reported an increase in visa applications from Azerbaijan, describing it as a natural development.

By Aghakazim Guliyev