Fuad Huseynaliyev: France continues to create additional tension in South Caucasus

France continues to create additional tension in the South Caucasus region by groundlessly accusing Azerbaijan of crimes that were not committed, Director of the Report News Agency Fuad Huseynaliyev said on CBC TV, commenting on the recent statement by French President Emmanuel Macron at a joint press conference with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

“It is getting more difficult to explain Macron’s statements on the return of Karabakh Armenians, because even Armenia itself has stopped touching on this topic. For many European politicians, this topic has ceased to be on the agenda, but France continues to create additional tension in this region at all levels,” Huseynaliyev said.

He emphasized that France was not at all worried about the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands, but it fiercely defends the rights of Karabakh Armenians, accuses Azerbaijan of disproportionate use of force, while forgetting about who was the first to start shooting on the border.

“We see Macron’s very one-sided position...The global goal of Paris is to strengthen its position in the South Caucasus. They won’t be able to do this in Azerbaijan, and they can’t do much in Georgia either. It leaves only Armenia, over which France has a huge influence,” noted the director of the news agency.

He also added that France is interested in disrupting stability in the Caucasus, because if a peace treaty is signed between Baku and Yerevan, Armenia will not need additional players to defend it.

“Concluding peace with Azerbaijan will open up new opportunities for Armenia to improve relations with Türkiye. Peace will come to the region and Armenia will actually not need additional forces, foreign policy players who will defend it. Therefore, France is now trying to delay the peace as much as possible,” Huseynaliyev added.