A meeting between French and Azerbaijani diplomats was held in Baku yesterday, EDnews reports.
France’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Anne Boillon (Sophie Lagoutte), shared details of the visit on the social platform X (formerly Twitter).
The Diplomatic Adviser to the French President for Continental Europe, Bertrand Buchwalter, and Director of the Department at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Brice Roquefeuil, arrived in Baku to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.
During the visit, the French delegation met with Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, and Elchin Amirbayov, Ambassador-at-Large for Foreign Policy Affairs, to exchange views on the development of Azerbaijan–France relations.
Amid years of political tension between the two countries, this dialogue raises important questions: What does it signal, and could it mark a turning point in relations between Baku and Paris?
Commenting on the issue for EDnews, political analyst Vagif Huseyn said that France’s renewed interest in dialogue with Azerbaijan stems largely from geopolitical shifts concerning Armenia:
“Progress toward an Azerbaijan–Armenia peace treaty is opening new opportunities for the region. Today, economic interests are taking precedence over conflicts and wars. Once a peace agreement is signed, there will be no sense in maintaining tension with Azerbaijan. Moreover, the potential for economic cooperation between France and Azerbaijan is much greater than with Armenia. France already has gas and industrial projects in Azerbaijan, along with various investment initiatives. Azerbaijan is a far more attractive and promising partner. Therefore, this rapprochement should be viewed as part of the broader peace process.”
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