Azerbaijan Rejects France's Claim Of 'Supporting Separatism' In New Caledonia

Azerbaijan on Tuesday rejected claims by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin regarding Baku "supporting separatism" in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the Pacific that has seen deep divisions between its indigenous Kanak population and Europeans.

"Accusing Azerbaijan of allegedly supporting separatism with regard to New Caledonia, the interior minister of France forgets that it was the French side that took steps to support aggressive separatism in Azerbaijan for a long time and regularly received representatives of the so-called separatist regime," Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada said a statement.

Indicating that the French parliament adopted decisions questioning and harming Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, Hajizada said it also recognized the "separatist regime" and enabled activities with them under a "friendship group."

"Instead of trying to smear Azerbaijan with ridiculous and cheap accusations, such as the massacre of the Armenian population, the French interior minister should not forget that as part of the colonial policy ... [France] has committed crimes against humanity with respect to local peoples and brutally murdered millions of innocent people," Hajizada said.

He added that it is "completely unacceptable" for a French government official to use "insulting expressions" about Azerbaijan's constitutional state structure, calling on Paris to not to interfere in Baku's internal affairs and to stop making "baseless" allegations.

"Once more, we declare that our country will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its national interests," the spokesman said.

In his remarks before the French National Assembly's law committee on Monday, Darmanin accused Baku of using the issue of New Caledonia to "respond to the defense of Armenians and the massacre of Armenians by Azerbaijan."

Darmanin's allegations came in response to a memorandum of understanding signed between Azerbaijan's National Assembly and the Congress of New Caledonia on April 18. -