Ankara slams French Senate's move on Karabakh as ridiculous

A recent motion passed by French lawmakers calling on Azerbaijan to withdraw from the Upper Karabakh region, which Baku had liberated from occupation, is "ridiculous, biased and far from reality," Turkey said on Thursday.

"The resolution adopted yesterday by the French Senate on the Upper Karabakh dispute is a case in point that disregards the most basic principles of international law, legitimacy and equity for the sake of domestic political concerns," Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also "completely" objected to the "unfounded allegations raised" against Turkey in the French resolution.

Recalling France's position as co-chair at OSCE Minsk group, the statement said the French Senate's resolution was "a clear indicator" of why the group had been unable to find a solution to the long-standing conflict, as well as of its "biases" on the matter.

Citing the Armenian army's "aggression and provocations" it exhibited first in the Tovuz border area and then in Upper Karabakh, it said: "Azerbaijan gave the necessary response and restored its territorial integrity by liberating its lands that had been under occupation for nearly 30 years."

The Azerbaijani army's triumph on the ground was a "materialization" of the rights that were noted in the Minsk process -- of which France is also co-chair -- but were not actualized, added the ministry.

"The relevant UN resolutions order the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenians from the occupied Azerbaijani territories," it added.

"Yet, the French Senate's call on Azerbaijan to withdraw from its own lands, which it liberated from the occupation, is a manifestation of a ridiculous, biased and far from reality understanding that cannot be taken seriously. This decision lacks common sense, which cannot be explained by any reasonable justification, and also limits the ability of France to contribute in real terms to the solution of the issue," the statement noted.

The ministry also defined France's recent "obsession" with Turkey as "unsurprising" but also "thought-provoking."

Turkey further called on France to adopt an "objective and unbiased perception" of Turkey's actions in its surrounding region while refraining from making "extremely erroneous references to history or irrelevant issues" for the sake of bilateral relations.

It also urged France to embrace a "constructive attitude" towards the outcome of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict that has been ongoing for almost 30 years. "For this, it will be sufficient to make an effort to reach a permanent solution in accordance with international law based on the existing realities."

The statement also conveyed Turkey's readiness to work together with other partners, including France, to find "a sustainable peace that would contribute to regional peace and stability."

Earlier on Wednesday, the French Senate adopted a resolution that calls for the recognition of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh republic.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted on Sept. 27 and ended with a Russian-brokered truce six weeks later.