Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has rejected what it described as the unfounded responses of France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Axar.az reports that MFA spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada responded to the French Foreign Ministry's answers to questions raised by members of the French National Assembly.

"We strongly condemn and reject the unfounded responses published on 23 June on the website of the French National Assembly by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs concerning support for Armenians “displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh,” “fate and release of Armenian prisoners,” “Armenian religious and cultural heritage,” “human rights in the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process,” as well as “human rights in Azerbaijan.”

The responses of the French side represent yet another example of its long-standing biased approach toward the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process.

While extensive attention is devoted to issues such as Armenia’s security, “Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh,” and “Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan,” it is regrettable that no mention is made of Armenia’s nearly 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the destruction committed during that period, the plight of more than one million Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons, the fate of missing persons, and the ongoing mine threat posed by Armenia.

Despite presenting itself as a supporter of the peace process, France’s particular emphasis on defense cooperation with Armenia and its promotion of the activities of the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) once again demonstrate that France is far from being a neutral actor in the region. France’s expanding military cooperation with Armenia, its provision of arms, and its overtly one-sided political stance do not contribute to peace. On the contrary, such actions encourage revanchist tendencies and undermine the normalization process.

The allegations concerning “Armenian prisoners and detainees” are entirely detached from reality. Attempts to politicize this issue and call into question judicial decisions are unacceptable. The Armenian-origin individuals currently detained in Azerbaijan have been held accountable in accordance with national legislation and international law for specific criminal offenses. The separatist leaders and other Armenian-origin individuals whom Armenia, along with France, supported and patronized for nearly three decades have been convicted and are serving sentences for war crimes, ethnic cleansing, military aggression, torture, and other grave offenses.

It is particularly ironic that France, which has chosen to ignore the destruction of Azerbaijani cultural heritage, the demolition of mosques, and acts of vandalism committed in Armenia and the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan, seeks to comment the claims on the issue of “Armenian cultural and religious heritage.”

Furthermore, it is surprising that France, whose recent record includes numerous corruption scandals involving politicians, police brutality, the violent dispersal of protesters, pressure on journalists, violations of migrants’ rights, religious discrimination, as well as violence in its overseas territories, including New Caledonia, attempts to portray itself as a champion of human rights and lecture Azerbaijan on this matter.

The responses of the French Ministry once again demonstrate that official Paris continues to struggle to accept the realities of the region and, instead of contributing to lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus, persists in pursuing outdated and one-sided political approaches. Such a policy causes serious damage to France’s credibility and standing both in the region and as a reliable international partner."