Azerbaijan’s lead COP29 negotiator, Yalchin Rafiyev, affirmed on Thursday that doors are still open for constructive dialogue, despite a diplomatic spat with France. The dispute arose after French Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher withdrew from the climate summit in Baku, calling Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s remarks against France deplorable.
In a speech at COP29 on Wednesday, Aliyev condemned France for alleged colonial crimes and human rights violations, particularly in the Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia.
Pannier-Runacher described the comments as an inappropriate use of the climate platform and announced she would no longer attend the event. However, she confirmed that the French negotiating team would continue efforts to secure climate action agreements.
The relationship between France and Azerbaijan has grown increasingly tense, partly due to France’s support for Armenia. This tension escalated after Azerbaijan’s military reclaimed the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region last year, triggering a large-scale exodus of ethnic Armenians from the area.
