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By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijani ambassador to France Rahman Mustafayev has described as unacceptable presidential candidate Valerie Pecresse’s allegations of "death threats".

In an official statement posted on the official Twitter page of the Azerbaijani embassy in France on January 18, Mustafayev said: “Madame Pecresse’s statements about alleged 'death threats', the constant attacks on Azerbaijan and the dignity of Azerbaijani President [Ilham Aliyev] are unacceptable.”

The ambassador issued the statement in response to the French presidential candidate's recent interpretation of Azerbaijan's legitimate warning over her illegal visit to the country's internationally-recognized territory of Karabakh as a "death threat" without having a single shred of hard evidence for making such an accusation.

Illegal trip

Mustafayev underlined that Pecresse is trying to hide behind these statements the illegality of the conditions of her illegal trip to Karabakh.

“The election campaign does not allow madame Pecresse, president of the Ile-de-France region, to exempt herself from observing Azerbaijani legislation, France's international, European and bilateral obligations, as well as French national legislation,” he said.

In the statement, the ambassador stressed that Pecresse is well aware that her trip to Khankandi city of Azerbaijan’s Khojaly region is illegal.

“It violates the provisions of the Azerbaijani legislation, in particular, Article 11 (paragraph 1) of the Constitution, which provides that Azerbaijan’s territory is one, inviolable and indivisible, as well as Article 7 of the rules on migration registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons and Article 15 of the Migration Code, under which foreign nationals and stateless persons may enter and exit the territory of Azerbaijan provided they pass through official border checkpoints,” he stressed.

The statement also noted that under Articles 20 and 40 of the law "On the state border of Azerbaijan” of December 19, 1991, the persons who have crossed or tried to cross Azerbaijan’s state border in any way outside the official crossing points, shall bear criminal and administrative responsibility for violation of the rules of border crossing.

“In addition to Azerbaijani law, madame Pecresse cannot ignore that her illegal visit and meeting with representatives of the so-called 'Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’, an illegal entity not recognized by any state, including the French state, violates France’s international, European and bilateral obligations, as well as French national legislation,” Mustafayev said.

EU ban on threats against independence, territorial integrity

In the published statement, the ambassador recalled that France, as a member of the UN Security Council, voted in favor of UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884, which reaffirm that the Karabakh region is part of Azerbaijan, as well as reaffirm respect for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of internationally recognized borders.

“The so-called pro-European candidate should know that the European Union prohibits any action that compromises or threatens the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of countries,” the statement added.

Accordingly, Article 21 (paragraph 2, subparagraph C) of the general provisions of the Treaty on European Union calls for “preserving peace, preventing conflicts and strengthening international security in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the UN, as well as the principles of the Helsinki Final Act and those of the Charter of Paris, including those relating to external borders”.

Moreover, the ambassador underlined that as for the bilateral obligations of France, this illegal visit also contradicts the provision of paragraph 3 of Article 2 of the Treaty of Friendship, Mutual Understanding, and Cooperation between Azerbaijan and France, signed on December 20, 1993.

According to the signed treaty both parties had agreed to “combine their efforts to ensure international security, prevent conflicts and ensure the primacy of international law in relations between nations, to unite their efforts in order to achieve the goals of international security and peace”.

By conducting this illegal visit, the president of the Ile-de-France region deliberately takes a position on a matter relating to the French foreign policy, the determination of which is within the exclusive competence of the state, against directions determined by the state within the powers it has under the French Constitution, the statement stressed.

The statement reiterated that this illegal visit is also contrary to Art. L. 1115-1 of the General Code of Local Authorities and circular NOR INTB1809792C, signed on May 24, 2018, by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

“Therefore, the external actions of the local authorities recognized by Art. 1115-1 C.G.C.T., must be carried out in accordance with France's international obligations, that is, treaties and agreements within the meaning of Article 55 of the Constitution, and in accordance with the conduct of diplomatic relations. Consequently, by engaging in cooperation with foreign local authorities, territorial authorities cannot renounce the obligations undertaken by France, and they cannot associate in any form with foreign local authorities established in an institutional framework not recognized by France,” the statement added.

Ignorance of national law

The statement also noted that on the basis of these texts, the administrative courts of Lyon, Grenoble, Cergy Pontoise, and the courts of appeal of Versailles and Lyon condemned illegal actions and statements in favor of separatist entities not recognized by France.

“It is appalling to note that the Republican candidate is ignoring the national law of her country so as not to displease some of her constituents,” the ambassador noted.

“The disrespect shown by madame Pecresse to the above-mentioned principles underlying the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is intolerable and must be stopped. Electoral blindness risks not only endangering old friendly relations with Azerbaijan, built on the principles of international law but also harm the stability and development of the Caucasus region,” the statement stressed.

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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad

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