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Azerbaijan president refuses to attend EU-brokered meet over snub to Türkiye

Ilham Aliyev had requested Turkish representation during proposed talks in Spain but France and Germany objected, Azerbaijani state media reported.

Reuters

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Nakhchivan. Photo: Reuters

Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev has decided against attending an EU-brokered meeting in Spain after France and Germany opposed his request for Turkish representation at the talks, Azerbaijani state media reported.

Aliyev had been considering taking part in a five-way meeting in Granada, Spain, on Thursday with leaders of France, Germany, Armenia and EU Council President Charles Michel.

It would have been his first face-to-face talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan since Baku took back full control of Karabakh in a 24-hour anti-terror operation launched on September 19.

The five were due to discuss the future of the Karabakh region and review the progress of the long-running but troubled peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Azerbaijan's state-run APA news agency, citing unnamed sources, said Aliyev had decided against attending however.

It said Aliyev had wanted its all-weather ally Türkiye to be represented at the meeting, but that France and Germany had objected, and said that Baku felt "an anti-Azerbaijani atmosphere" had developed among the meeting's potential participants.

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In particular, APA cited what it said was discontent in Baku around a statement made by Michel and what it regarded as "pro-Armenian statements" by French officials and France's decision, announced on Tuesday, to supply Yerevan with military equipment.

APA said that Azerbaijan would not attend any future talks which included France, but remained potentially open to possible three-way meetings with the EU and Armenia.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said that "efforts to supply Armenia with weaponry in every possible way and the instigation of this country for another aggression and military adventure by France are unacceptable”.

It also condemned the “unfounded allegations” made against Baku by French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna during her visit to Armenia on Tuesday.

Colonna's claim that Armenian residents were forcibly displaced was "without any proof" and "intended to mislead the international community”, the ministry said. Baku says Armenians had left the enclave voluntarily.