MP: French Senate resolution blow to peace process in South Caucasus

By MP Mazahir Afandiyev

Today, Azerbaijan is resolutely protecting its position on all important platforms by using a multi-vector foreign policy in this direction, declaring the new realities that have arisen to the world community.

The important direction in Azerbaijan's foreign policy is not related to the smallness or greatness of any country but mainly related to the place of that country in the new political architecture of the world.

Since 2020, i.e. after the Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan indicated the emergence of new realities in the South Caucasus. By means of the obtained great victory, our country demonstrated the multi-year activity of the United Nations on international platforms and ensured the implementation of the four known adopted resolutions. Thus, Azerbaijan managed to create a completely new atmosphere both in the region and in world politics.

What we have seen in the current year is that the post-war era has its own challenges and approaches. From this point of view, Azerbaijan is applying a new approach to some issues in its 30-year foreign policy. In order to ensure the national interests of Azerbaijan and the people of Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev expresses his decisive position toward peace, tranquility, and a prosperous future in all bilateral and multilateral meetings.

However, the fact that some states, especially France, took part in the negotiations and discussed a completely different agenda, and at the same time later accused Azerbaijan of occupation by various means, the emergence of other interests in these issues is political hypocrisy, as well as Macron's actions against Azerbaijan-France relations as a politician is a betrayal and disrespect.

In general, French-Azerbaijani relations have, in principle, only been focused on development in the last 30 years. In these relations, Azerbaijan has always tried to support France as the cultural capital of Europe in a number of issues and mechanisms. Although Azerbaijan provided an opportunity for France to participate in the signing of the Peace Agreement in the post-war period, to fulfill its peacekeeping mission, as a result, we witnessed that the French president was engaged in defaming Azerbaijan rather than using that opportunity.

Not every political leader succeeds in making the right decisions to ensure the interests of his people. Unfortunately, Emmanuel Macron's incompetent position in relations with Azerbaijan is causing a great blow to the relations that have been formed so far. Even France is losing its voice within the European Union. This is clear proof of the French leader's inadequate attitude to the current issues.

Recently, the resolution adopted by the French Senate against Azerbaijan, which contradicts the norms and principles of international law, contains an insincere and hypocritical position, is a gross violation of the bilateral commitments made between France and Azerbaijan, both political and economic, which have been going on for many years.

This is not only for France-Azerbaijani relations, but also for the joint agreements reached on the full implementation of all points of the tripartite declaration signed on November 10, 2020, in all the meetings held through the European Union, the efforts made in this direction, and generally in the direction of peace. It is a big blow to all the steps taken, disregarding and disrespecting the norms and principles of international law.

The adopted resolution caused the anger of the Azerbaijani people, and radical ideas and proposals were voiced by the deputies of the Milli Majlis, such as the suspension of French-Azerbaijani relations and the revision of existing relations. I believe that the Statement of November 16, 2022, adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan, taking into account the continuous anti-Azerbaijani activities of France, reflects the views of the people of Azerbaijan, as well as a clear warning to the forces that are attacking our country today.