France will not leave Azerbaijan’s attacks unanswered, says French energy minister

French Minister of Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runachet sharply responded to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s criticism of France and Europe during the opening ceremony of the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku.

She noted that France would not leave these statements unanswered.

“President Aliyev’s words against France and Europe as the COP29 opened in Baku are unacceptable. Direct attacks on our country, its institutions and territories cannot be justified. Azerbaijan is instrumentalizing the fight against climate change for its shameful personal agenda. These attacks are a blatant violation of the UNFCCC Code of Conduct. This will not go unanswered. It is ironic that Azerbaijan’s repressive and anti-freedom regime is giving lessons about human rights,” she said.