L'Opinion highlights new details of French espionage exposé in Baku

A loud "espionage scandal" in Azerbaijan, which started with the declaration of two French diplomats personae non gratae and expulsion from the country, is gaining new details.

At first no one connected the detention and arrest for four months of Martin Ryan with the statement of Azerbaijani security services about the exposure of the French spy network in Baku. Moreover, the French Foreign Ministry also took a wait-and-see attitude in this regard, Report informs citing the French edition L'Opinion.

However, it later turned out that since December 4, Ryan, who was under arrest, was already connected with these "diplomats" expelled from the country.

Martin, who in addition to French and British citizenship on his father's side, lived in Baku for four years and even managed to get engaged to a local girl, the article says. Having founded a small company Merkorama, he was engaged in export-import business, in particular wine trading, and was not involved in any political activity.

"Representatives of the French intelligence services engaged him against his will to collect and pass on information about third countries. Ryan maintained warm, even friendly relations with two employees of the Embassy - "Frederick" and "Laurent". After their departure from Baku in 2023, "Laurent's" successor "Andre" asked for a meeting, during which he questioned him too zealously about political issues," the article notes.

Martin's contacts with the embassy thus evolved from mere inquiries about information in the public domain to more persistent requests for the collection and transmission of information, especially concerning Iran and Türkiye. In other words, it was already about "active, not just passive cooperation".

"In this atmosphere of mutual distrust, Martin was convinced that embassy officials were trying to make him a pawn in their dangerous game," the author writes, adding that Ryan obviously realized that the consequences for him could be much more serious, unlike embassy officials who have diplomatic immunity.

According to the author of the article, the Azerbaijani security services wanted to interview two diplomats, including "Andre", as witnesses. But facing refusal, they were expelled from the country.

"The French 'diplomats' appear to have reported more to the French Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) than to the French Foreign Ministry..... Their identities have not been disclosed. One thing is certain: Martin Ryan is not a DGSE agent, even if he may have been chosen, without his knowledge, as a possible 'honorary correspondent,” L'Opinion writes.