CCAF calls on French government to demand apology from Azeri authorities or else recall ambassador over Aliyev’s threats
10:38,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. The Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF – Conseil de coordination des Organisations Arméniennes de France) issued a statement on January 13 regarding Azeri president Ilham Aliyev’s threats against Valérie Pécresse, the President of the Regional Council of France’s Île-de-France and a candidate for the French presidency.
Aliyev had said that the Azeri government was unaware of Pécresse’s visit to Nagorno Karabakh, and if they knew she was there the Azeri authorities wouldn’t have allowed her to leave Nagorno Karabakh.
CCAF called on the French government to demand an explanation and apology from the Azerbaijani government for making such terrorizing statements against a French presidential candidate. CCAF said the French government ought to recall its ambassador from Baku and expel the Azeri ambassador from Paris if the explanations and apology aren’t issued by the Azeri authorities.
Talking to the news media, Pécresse herself stressed the seriousness of Aliyev’s threats against a presidential candidate, and noted that a candidate must be free to go wherever they want.
Pécresse said she doesn’t feel intimidated by the threats, but that she is shocked from the French government’s silence. The French politician said she’d want Paris to officially respond to Aliyev’s threats.
Pécresse visited Armenia and Artsakh December 21-23, 2021. The ex-foreign minister of France and former European Commissioner Michel Barnier and the head of the Republicans of the French Senate Bruno Retailleau accompanied her.