On May 16, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin accused Azerbaijan of interfering in the internal politics of New Caledonia, where riots have been ongoing for several days. In an interview with "France 2" television, Darmanin responded to a journalist's question about foreign influences on New Caledonia's politics, including Russia, China, and Azerbaijan, by stating, "It's not a fantasy, it's a reality."

Darmanin expressed regret that some leaders of New Caledonia's independence movement had allegedly made a deal with Azerbaijan, describing this involvement as "undeniable" and referring to Azerbaijan as a dictatorship. Despite these claims, Darmanin emphasized that France remains sovereign in its territory, asserting, "Even if there are attempts to intervene, France is sovereign in its territory."

Notably, in the past few days, New Caledonia, a special administrative-territorial entity of France in the South Pacific, has been engulfed in unrest and clashes between supporters and opponents of independence. The protests reportedly erupted in response to a bill that would have extended voting rights to French residents of New Caledonia.

In response to the recent statements alleging relations between Azerbaijan and New Caledonia's independence leaders, Aykhan Hajizada, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, issued a strong rejection. 

In a statement, Hajizada condemned the French side's “insulting expressions against Azerbaijan.” The statement urged France to cease its “smear campaign against Azerbaijan” and refrain from making unacceptable accusations, such as the reference to the massacre of Armenians. Instead, it suggested that the French Minister of the Interior should reflect on his country's history of committing crimes against humanity towards local peoples and the brutal murder of millions of innocent individuals as part of its colonial policies over many years.

Furthermore, the statement highlighted the need for the French Minister of the Interior to address his country's failed policies towards its overseas territories, which have led to the protests in New Caledonia. It called upon France to stop making baseless claims against Azerbaijan.