Hikmat Hajiyev: Le Figaro publishes fake anti-Azerbaijani stories almost every day

Le Figaro publishes anti-Azerbaijani articles almost every day, around 99.9% of which are fake, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration said during a special session titled "The Language of Peace and Countering Disinformation", held as part of the Baku Culture and Media Dialogue Platform.

"Western media outlets spread disinformation and manipulate information about certain countries, with Azerbaijan becoming a constant target. When we request the right of reply, there is no response - we are not given an opportunity to comment on these publications. Countering such a wave of disinformation is extremely difficult. Many countries around the world face this problem," he said.

He stressed that combating fake news requires considerable effort, as false claims can become part of the global information narrative before a country has a chance to present its position to an international audience.

According to the presidential aide, countering disinformation requires a concerted effort and more active engagement with international media outlets.