The Republic of Azerbaijan followed up the termination of the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands by the armed forces of Armenia in the 44-day Patriotic War having culminated in the restoration of the territorial integrity of our state by exercising her sovereign right and establishing a border checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road from the Armenian side in order to put an end to the misuse of the said road. The checkpoint in question was established in April 2023. It should be noted that the Armenian inhabitants of Garabagh living in the areas of temporary deployment of the Russian peacekeeping forces have the opportunity to use this road without hindrance and as accompanied by the staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The fact that provocateurs posing as Armenian dwellers of Garabagh and the political leadership of the Republic of Armenia insist on the use of the Lachin Road exclusively for transportation of goods spells the intent to politicise the issue deliberately and turn it into a propaganda tool which they will not hesitate to use. If we are really talking about humanitarian cargoes, what does it matter which way and from where these cargoes are coming?!

The Government of Azerbaijan has declared its readiness to meet the needs of the Armenian inhabitants of Karabakh promptly, including in food, medicines and other humanitarian supplies, which would be transported along the Aghdam-Khankendi Road Azerbaijan has offered for this purpose. In addition, this is a necessary and even inevitable step for the reintegration of the Garabagh Armenians into Azerbaijan.

We believe that the international community as well as any country respecting the norms and principles of international law is accepting as due the necessary measures taken by Azerbaijan in defence of her national security and territorial wholeness.

As for the concerns expressed by some of our colleagues in several countries, we call on them to ponder objective facts. The humanitarian situation in Garabagh is not as described by Armenian officials and by those deceived by their propaganda – the shortage that has arisen, whatever it may be, is due to the refusal to use the Aghdam-Khankendi Route.

The protection of the rights and the maintenance of the security of the ethnic minorities resident in Azerbaijan are guaranteed by the Constitution and Laws of the land. The ethnic Armenians too were offered to choose to be governed by the Laws of Azerbaijan.

We appreciate very much the support from those overseas partners of ours who realise the necessity of respecting the sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

Regrettably, due to the influence and interference of the Armenian lobby French MPs regularly pursue a hostile policy towards Azerbaijan and take such stances that distort the essence of the issue. Their biased activities and statements are aimed at misleading the European political community.

 Taking into account that over the past three years or so France has repeatedly abused the issue of the rights and security of the Armenian national minority as a pretext for unlawful interference in the internal affairs of our country, including the attempts to take advantage of the tensions instigated in the region, we wish to draw the attention of the French authorities to their internal problems as well as to the prevailing atmosphere of xenophobia, Islamophobia, and racial and national hatred in the country. We would like to open your eyes to the still-overt legacy of the colonial past. It is well known that France has a disregard for human rights when it comes to non-French people, and given this, the zeal of its officials and parliamentarians in defending the interests of Armenians living in Azerbaijan is nothing short of political hypocrisy.

France, which does not recognise the language of the Corsicans on the island of Corsica captured by it, pursues a colonial policy in its overseas territories, does not respect the rights and freedoms of those peoples and does not want to abandon the ideas of neo-colonialism at all. The anti-French events in Africa of recent days also prove once more that France's neo-colonial policy has gone bankrupt. It is the height of political insincerity to demand special rights for a minority in other regions while not recognising the notion of an ethnic minority in France itself.

We call on France to follow the example of the neighbouring Germany, acknowledge its killings and compensate the peoples affected. French MPs should have the courage to demand that their government apologise to the colonised peoples. We call on French parliamentarians to take a stand against France's policy of neo-colonialism instead of dealing with political issues that are not relevant to their country.

The defence of a perpetrator of war crimes by French MPs and officials and calls for his release are, in essence, a justification of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The French officials urging their country one of law call for humanity and morality, but, at the same time, demonstrate disrespect for international humanitarian law.

 We declare that the inability of Armenia's revanchist forces to abandon old perceptions and chauvinist ideology does not work in favour of the Armenian people. The fact that France also encourages this revanchism is primarily detrimental to the Armenian population. Attempts to remove Azerbaijan from the international public eye through false propaganda are doomed to failure.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to constructive dialogue for the sake of establishing peace and stability in the region. Everyone should understand that the way to build a peaceful future for peoples is not through interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states, but through real co-operation.

1. Adil Aliyev – independent MP
2. Ahliman Amiraslanov - New Azerbaijan Party
3. Hijran Huseynova - New Azerbaijan Party
4. Ganira Pashayeva – independent MP
5. Samad Seyidov - New Azerbaijan Party
6. Eldar Ibrahimov - New Azerbaijan Party
7. Eldar Guliyev – independent MP
8. Gudrat Hasanguliyev – the Party of the Public Front of the Whole Azerbaijan
9. Hikmat Mammadov - New Azerbaijan Party
10. Tahir Karimli – Vahdat Party 
11. Asim Mollazade – Party of Democratic Reforms   
12. Elshan Musayev – Party of Democratic Enlightenment of Azerbaijan
13. Musa Gasimli – independent MP
14. Fazil Mustafa – Great Design Party
15. Fazail Aghamali – Ana Vatan Party
16. Sevinj Fataliyeva - New Azerbaijan Party
17. Ramin Mammadov - New Azerbaijan Party
18. Kamal Jafarov - New Azerbaijan Party
19. Nurlan Hasanov - New Azerbaijan Party
20. Sadagat Valiyeva - New Azerbaijan Party
21. Elnur Allahverdiyev - New Azerbaijan Party
22. Erkin Gadirli– Republican Alternative Party (REAL)
23. Sabir Rustamkhanli– Civil Solidarity Party
24. Razi Nurullayev– People’s Front Party  
25. Kamran Bayramov - New Azerbaijan Party
26. Rauf Aliyev - New Azerbaijan Party
27. Elman Nasirov - New Azerbaijan Party
28. Elman Mammadov - New Azerbaijan Party
29. Arzu Naghiyev – independent MP
30. Rasim Musabeyov – independent MP
31. Javanshir Feyziyev – independent MP
32. Soltan Mammadov – independent MP
33. Nigyar Arpadarai - independent MP
34. Amina Aghazade - independent MP
35. Sevil Mikayilova – independent MP
36. Konul Nurullayeva - independent MP
37. Tural Ganjaliyev - independent MP
38. Azer Karimli - independent MP
39. Azay Guliyev - independent MP
40. Anatoliy Rafailov – independent MP

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis