Aliyev Accuses France of Provocation Against Azerbaijan

BAKU — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused France of planning what he described as a “dirty provocation” against Baku at the recent Francophonie summit by drafting a final resolution promoting Armenia’s interest.

Speaking at an event dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party, Aliyev, who is also the leader of the party, charged that France, which patronizes Armenia, was behind the “dirty provocation.”

“France and Armenia call each other sisters, and they emphasize that, although they could also call each other brothers,” Aliyev said, mockingly.

He claimed that the Francophonie summit sought to adopt a resolution in which there were “untrue” statements against Azerbaijan.

“But all anti-Azerbaijani theses have been removed thanks to the efforts of our friends, whom we know very well,” the Azerbaijani leader said, without naming any countries that he claimed supported Baku.

“The French-Armenian tandem failed to use that opportunity,” Aliyev added.

Officials in France and Armenia did not immediately comment on the Azerbaijani president’s statements.

In his lengthy speech at the party event Aliyev also boasted that despite the fact that Azerbaijan is not a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russia-led six-nation defense alliance also including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, it has more friends in it than Armenia.

He said that Armenia “has failed to turn the CSTO members against Azerbaijan.”