Azerbaijani-French Chamber of Commerce condemns Macron for pro-Armenian position
By Vugar Khalilov
The Azerbaijani-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry addressed an open letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, condemning his recent anti-Azerbaijani statements, Azernews reports.
"We, on behalf of the Azerbaijani-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AFchamber), an independent non-governmental organization representing Azerbaijani and French companies operating in Azerbaijan, express our concern about the statements you made during your October 12 interview on the France 2 TV Channel," the letter reads.
The one-sided portrayal of events by you [Macron] and other French politicians significantly jeopardizes the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the building of long-term peace. Such acts are especially detrimental to the process at a time when the two countries are so close to concluding a peace treaty, it adds.
The representatives express "surprise" and "disappointment" with the French president's views on the Karabakh conflict and the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, calling them as inaccurate.
They pointed out that Macron failed to mention the UN four Security Council Resolutions (822, 853, 874, and 884), which France also voted in support of, that denounced Armenia's occupation of former Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven adjacent districts for over 30 years.
Despite the UN Security Council's unequivocal calls for Armenia to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Azerbaijanis to return home, Armenia ignored international law and continued its occupation. France voted in favor of the mentioned resolutions and recognized these territories as part of Azerbaijan. Even today, the Armenian armed forces remain in the Karabakh region and refuse to fulfill their obligations under the tripartite declaration, dated November 10, 2020, and act as the main obstacle to the peace process in the region, the representatives stressed.
“Unfortunately, when discussing civilian deaths, you failed to include Armenian attacks on residents in the Azerbaijani cities of Ganja and Barda. These strikes killed over 100 Azerbaijani citizens, including 13 children (one 10-month-old baby),” they recalled.
They emphasized that Macron witnessed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev's adherence to the United Nations Charter and the Alma Ata Declaration of 1991, in which both recognized each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty at the October 6 Prague summit.
“We sincerely call on the French government to take an active and positive stance in the peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which confirms the territorial integrity of both countries by the European Union. This step will improve the bilateral relations between France and Azerbaijan and will positively affect the public opinion about France's role in the region,” the chamber members said.
The Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry is always willing to help to the advancement of the Azerbaijani-French ties. To that end, the organization would gladly organize an online meeting with your members to hear the perspectives of French businesspeople and the French community in Azerbaijan.
The chamber is a non-governmental organization that represents the interests of approximately 50 French, European, and Azerbaijani companies.
The fundamental purpose of the chamber is to foster mutual economic and friendly connections between Azerbaijan and France. Its aim is to assist and promote bilateral cooperation, ongoing social discourse, and the systematic and sustainable extension of economic and investment partnerships.
The chamber does not represent and is not a member of any public or international organization.
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