Azerbaijan summons French ambassador to protest ‘baseless accusations’ against Baku

Azerbaijan on Wednesday summoned France's ambassador to Baku to lodge a protest against "baseless accusations" of French politicians.

"On Dec. 28, 2022, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of France to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Anne Bouillon, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a protest note addressed to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France was presented to the other party," said a statement by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The statement said a "deep concern" was expressed about "the expansion and continuation of the campaign based on open slander and prejudice against Azerbaijan" by several French lawmakers.

The statement further noted that it was conveyed during the meeting amid "a lack of a necessary response from the French government," adding that allegations contained in a letter written by French lawmakers to French President Emmanuel Macron urging for measures against Azerbaijan were firmly rejected.

"It was emphasized that the said letter is a continuation of a series of anti-Azerbaijani measures and statements carried out purposefully and systematically, including the adoption of resolutions full of groundless accusations against Azerbaijan by both chambers of the French Parliament," it added.

Baku also underlined the need to take "appropriate measures in order to immediately stop the campaign against Azerbaijan by the French government."

In a separate statement, Baku's Ambassador to Paris Leyla Abdullayeva criticized the French lawmakers in a message on Twitter, saying: "Karabakh, including the Lachin road is a sovereign land of Azerbaijan. Karabakh Armenians are considered citizens of Azerbaijan. Universal values, moral duty and honor require you to support the peace efforts of Azerbaijan."