Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry declares expulsion of two French diplomats

(MENAFN) On Tuesday, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of two French diplomats from the country, citing actions deemed "incompatible with their diplomatic status."

The ministry issued a statement indicating that it had summoned French ambassador Anne Boillon to express a "strong protest over the actions of two employees of the French Embassy."

The statement specified that the two diplomats were given a 48-hour ultimatum to depart the country, but it did not provide explicit reasons for their expulsion.

This development occurs in the context of strained relations between Baku and Paris, particularly as European nations seek to mediate between Azerbaijan and neighboring Armenia. Azerbaijan's rapid recapture of the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in September, previously controlled by Armenian separatists, has heightened tensions in the region.

In October, President Ilham Aliyev opted not to participate in talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, citing perceived bias from the EU and France on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. France, along with Germany and the European Council, had been slated to mediate in that meeting.

In November, Aliyev accused France of contributing to conflicts in the Caucasus by supplying arms to Armenia. Notably, France's significant Armenian diaspora has led to accusations of partiality by Baku against the French government in the context of the longstanding regional disputes.

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