First and foremost, a reminder is in order: Azerbaijan guarantees the safety of traffic on the Lachin road. But no one has the right to demand that a country give up its sovereign right to control its own borders.
Especially since for more than two years the international community showed no reaction to Baku’s statements that the Lachin road was being used to smuggle weapons, mines, Armenian conscripts and even Madame Pécresse.
If this is about the delivery of humanitarian cargo, then, first, once again, the Aghdam-Khankendi road is available for this purpose. And second, the organizers of the “truck show” did not even try to negotiate the transportation of the so-called “humanitarian cargo” with Azerbaijan, opting for provocation instead.
The French Ambassador to Armenia, Madame Louyot, might not have known that. But Madame Boillon is in Baku. And she is supposed to be aware of Azerbaijan’s position.
Finally, officially, the French Ambassador was quoting Josep Borrell. However, Borrell’s statement has already caused quite a harsh reaction in Azerbaijan. It was in Madame Boillon’s job description to read the response of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and, given the already troubled relations between Baku and Paris, not to add fuel to the fire.
What is the matter with Madame Boillon? Did she forget for a moment that she is in Azerbaijan and not in Algeria in colonial times? That an ambassador can urge and voice the position of their country, but not bang their fists on the table? Has French diplomacy completely lost its way? Or does Madame Boillon have other goals in mind?
If so, Macron’s electoral piggy bank can be replenished with the votes of ethnic Armenians in Marseille directly from Paris. That does not require going to Baku and assuming the position of an ambassador, whose job is to develop bilateral relations and smooth the rough edges, not to provoke new scandals.
