ISTANBUL

Azerbaijan said Tuesday that accusations made by French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne of Baku using “aggressive rhetoric” are “unacceptable.”

“Accusations against Azerbaijan of conducting aggressive rhetoric by the French side, which is widely arming Armenia and promoting militarism in the region, are unacceptable,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada said in a statement.

Hajizada said Sejourne’s “baseless allegations” during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are “another vivid example” of France’s efforts to create tension in the South Caucasus region and obstruct the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

He said France’s presentation of Armenia as a peaceful country shows how “fake” Paris’ policy has been, both during its mediation period and following the Second Karabakh War in the fall of 2020.

Hajizada also said that Baku believes it will be more beneficial for France and the world to refrain from calls aimed at damaging Azerbaijan’s image and targeting the country’s presidency while it is working towards the 29th UN Climate Change Conference.

“It should be clear to everyone that the policy of countries like France covering up Armenia’s aggression in the last 30 years has not been helpful. Thus, the French side should understand that as long as it does not cease its destructive actions, it will not benefit both the damaged image of France and Armenia, which it defends by all means,” he added.

During a joint press conference with Blinken in Paris earlier in the day, Sejourne said that France is "worried" about Azerbaijan's rhetoric, which he claimed to be "getting out of hand."

He also argued that Azerbaijan blamed Yerevan for escalations in the region "even though Armenia is probably the only one willing and trying to avoid it in this part of the world."