Azerbaijan rejects French minister’s remarks on Garabagh and accuses Paris of double standards
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has commented on anti-Azerbaijani allegations voiced by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot in the French Senate on 6 May, rejecting what he described as unfounded claims and a distorted narrative regarding the Garabagh region.
Baku has criticised the continued use of the term “Nagorno-Karabakh” and reaffirmed that the territory is an integral part of Azerbaijan’s sovereign state, , News.Az reports, citing Azer News.
Hajizada’s statement comes at a sensitive moment for the South Caucasus, as post-conflict normalisation efforts gather pace and discussions on long-term peace intensify. Azerbaijani officials accused Paris of applying double standards — ignoring the destruction of cultural and religious heritage during Armenia’s occupation while questioning Azerbaijan’s current policies. The exchange underscores growing diplomatic friction between Baku and Paris and highlights deeper disagreements over sovereignty, historical narratives, and the role of external actors in the region’s fragile peace process.
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The official commentary reads:
“We firmly reject the anti-Azerbaijan allegations voiced by France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot in the French Senate on 6 May.
The French Minister’s narrative on ‘Nagorno-Karabakh’ in reference to the Garabagh region — an integral part of Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory — is unacceptable.
At a time when conditions for lasting peace have been created in the region following the just war waged by Azerbaijan on its sovereign territories within the framework of the norms and principles of international law, we strongly condemn such provocative statements by the French side, which question Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over its territories and cast doubt on the protection of cultural and religious heritage.
It is a clear example of double standards that the French Minister, who ignores the destruction of hundreds of mosques and other cultural heritage sites in Azerbaijan’s territories during Armenia’s occupation, comments on the demolition of certain structures dating back to the occupation period and makes inappropriate references to proceedings before the International Court of Justice.
Historical and religious monuments located in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan constitute our national and cultural heritage and are protected regardless of their origin or religious or secular affiliation.
The calls by France regarding the deployment of an assessment mission by UNESCO to Azerbaijan’s Garabagh region are a clear distortion of reality. Azerbaijan has repeatedly called for such assessment missions, while their implementation has unfortunately been hindered by known obstacles created by countries such as Armenia and France. This fact was confirmed by UNESCO’s 2005 report.
Such statements by the French Minister do not contribute to lasting and sustainable peace in the region.”
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