During a question and answer session in the French Senate on October 11, France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Azerbaijan planned and organized the exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.

"No matter how it tries to portray the situation, yes, Azerbaijan planned and organized the exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a crime that cannot go unpunished," the French foreign minister said.

Colonna said France will demand the adoption of a resolution within the framework of the UN Security Council that will create conditions for the return of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. She stressed the need to protect the historical and cultural rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. She insisted on a permanent international presence in the region.

Response from Azerbaijan

On the same day, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry condemned and rejected the allegations against Azerbaijan made by Colonna.

"It is unacceptable that France, which supported Armenia, which was the occupying party during its bloody colonialism and mediation, now talks about justice and international law. It is an example of hypocrisy that France has not taken any steps to ensure the implementation of the four resolutions of the UN Security Council demanding the liberation of Azerbaijani territories from occupation, the unconditional, complete, and immediate withdrawal of the occupying forces, and the return of internally displaced persons to their homes, within 27 years, is now calling for the acceptance of annexation against Azerbaijan," the report added.

"During the last three years after the 44-day Patriotic War, instead of taking baseless UN Security Council initiatives, if the French side had given the right direction to Armenia in order to end illegal activities and withdraw Armenian armed forces from our territories, it would have been a real contribution to peace and security in the region," it said.

"We remind the French side once again that speaking with Azerbaijan in the language of threats and pressure cannot bring any results, and such destructive actions must be stopped immediately," the ministry concluded.