The Azerbaijani parliament is urging the government to impose sanctions against France
Call in Azerbaijan for sanctions against France
In reaction to the French Senate’s resolution “on imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan,” the Azerbaijani Parliament issued a statement, urging the government to impose sanctions on France.
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On January 17, the French Senate passed a resolution urging the French government to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan and its officials. This move is in response to the Azerbaijani army’s military operation in Karabakh in September 2023.
Subsequently, the parliament of Azerbaijan issued a statement, calling on its government to reciprocate by imposing sanctions on France.
The statement calls on the Azerbaijani government to:
- Impose sanctions against France
- Freeze any assets of French officials discovered in Azerbaijan
- Suspend all economic ties with France
- Expel all French companies, including Total, from Azerbaijan
- Prohibit the participation of French companies in projects commissioned by the Azerbaijani state
- Mandate the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry to initiate steps toward recognizing the independence of Kanaka, Maohi Nui, and Corsica.
Commentary
According to political scientist Farhad Mammadov, the inclusion of Total in the Milli Mejlis statement is noteworthy:
“This marks the first instance of Total being mentioned. Azerbaijan had not previously implicated the oil company in its disputes with Macron’s government.
The mention of Total suggests that France is really gearing up to take measures against Azerbaijan at its level. In fact, Baku is sending a signal to Total urging it to engage in the discourse and bring the crazy Macron and his cabinet to their senses.
The mention of Corsica in the Milli Mejlis’ call to recognize separatists, besides France’s other overseas territories, adds an intriguing dimension, as Corsica is directly an EU territory. Baku is thereby involving the EU in the confrontation with France. This move seems to be a call to the EU to address the situation emanating from the Elysee Palace.
The response from the Parliamentary Committee of Milli Mejlis appears entirely reactive, lacking a humanitarian component. This is a crucial element, given the existing humanitarian infrastructure between both nations.”
