Azerbaijani official slams France’s stance on Karabakh

PARIS

The Azerbaijani ambassador in Paris has thanked Turkey for support but slammed France’s "indifferent stance" on Armenian occupation of Upper Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.

Turkey and its president Recep Tayyip Erdogan have not left us alone on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, Rahman Mustafayev, said in an interview with Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

“Turkish diplomacy is working on solutions on Nagorno-Karabakh; they do not reciprocate Armenia’s provocation the same way by dropping bombs to places 250 kilometers away from the conflict zone."

He appreciated the moral support coming from Turkey.

“I don't understand why this support disturbs the French elite,” he said. “The Armenians are also violating French law by acknowledging Nagorno-Karabakh as Armenian territory."

Mustafayev said Azerbaijan’s Paris embassy has been threatened and assaulted many times. “If the rule of law is in question, then it is not normal for France to let all this happen,” he said.

He criticized the French authorities for not opening investigation, taking action against those who threatened them and damaged the embassy building.

The ambassador urged that a strong reaction is needed in France against the "lawlessness" of Armenian diaspora.

Calling Armenia to withdraw from the lands they occupied violating international law, he said: “We do not need Armenia’s unilateral promises; we expect international guarantees."

Upper Karabakh conflict

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Upper Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.

New clashes erupted on Sept. 27 but international calls for a halt to fighting have gone unanswered. Armenia has continued its attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces.

The OSCE Minsk Group -- co-chaired by France, Russia, and the US -- was formed in 1992 to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but to no avail. A cease-fire, however, was agreed upon in 1994.

Many world powers have urged for a cease-fire, and initiating dialogue. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has said Turkey must be involved in the process to resolve the decades-long conflict.

* Writing by Dilan Pamuk