On 11 October 2023, during the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council the Delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan made a statement in response to the statement delivered by France. The statement which is falsely presented in the Armenian media as a joint statement by 34 countries, has in fact been delivered on behalf of France and Armenia only, according to the official webpage of the Human Rights Council.
In its statement the Delegation of Azerbaijan rejected the groundless allegations voiced by France and condemned its undisguised attempt to interfere into political processes taking place in Azerbaijan. The Delegation of Azerbaijan stressed that France has no role in these processes due to its open disregard of the principles of international law and selective approach to the support of sovereignty and territorial integrity during the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, its failure over the last close to 30 years to act as an impartial mediator in the liberation of Azerbaijani territories from occupation by Armenia, and in the return of close to 1 million Azerbaijani IDPs and refugees to their homes of origin, including 300 thousand Azerbaijanis violently expelled from Armenia.
It was reminded that the Delegation of Azerbaijan had twice offered dialogue among other delegations to France, which has apparently refused it and continues its policy of instrumentalizing the Human Rights Council.
It was also mentioned that Azerbaijan and the region are working to consolidate peace and security, and that France has zero credibility as the international partner, mediator or a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council on the part of Azerbaijan.
Delegation of Azerbaijan rejected the engagement and initiatives suggested by France simply because they are suggested by France. It was underlined that Azerbaijan is open for engagement and cooperation with partners who are reliable, who have no neocolonial imperial ambitions or attempts to revive its lost status in this part of the world.
Delegation of Azerbaijan further reminded that: the United Nations mission composed of several agencies, which had twice visited the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, reported no damage to civilian public infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and housing, or to cultural and religious structures in the city of Khankendi; the mission saw that the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan was preparing for the resumption of health services and some utilities in Khankendi; the mission did not come across any reports - neither from the local population interviewed nor from the interlocutors - of incidences of violence against civilians following the latest ceasefire; the mission did not observe any destruction of agricultural infrastructure or dead animals from the road. The Delegation of Azerbaijan recalled that these observations were also confirmed by the findings of the UNHCR Office in Armenia as well as the ICRC. In addition, there were a number of foreign journalists covering developments in the Karabakh region.
It was mentioned that Azerbaijan as a sovereign country on its sovereign territory engages in effective cooperation with many international actors, including the UN system agencies, and that this cooperation, which covers many areas and is channeled towards the reintegration of the Karabakh region back into Azerbaijan, is based on Azerbaijani resources.
The Delegation of Azerbaijan expressed expectations from Armenia to heed wisdom and common sense and utilize the chance for peace in the region.
