Two staff members from the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris were declared persona non grata by France, a move confirmed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That action followed a reciprocal decision by Azerbaijan to expel two diplomats from the French Embassy in Baku. The French side described the situation as a direct response to Baku’s prior steps against its diplomatic personnel.
According to the statement issued by Paris, France acknowledged Azerbaijan’s decision to declare two members of the French diplomatic staff in Azerbaijan as persona non grata and to require them to leave the country within a two-day window. This exchange marked a sharp escalation in posturing between the two countries and highlighted the ongoing tension over perceived interference in domestic affairs and regional security matters.
The publication noted that Paris rejects the characterization that Azerbaijan required this action to justify its own measures. France maintains that the expulsions were not a pretext but a reflection of a broader pattern of conduct by Azerbaijan in relation to diplomatic norms and regional stability. The dispute thus extends beyond a single incident, touching on issues of sovereignty, reciprocity in diplomatic expulsions, and the expectations that allied states have for each other’s conduct in the South Caucasus region.
On 26 December, Azerbaijan’s leadership publicly announced that two employees of the French Embassy in Baku were declared persona non grata. They were ordered to depart from Azerbaijan within a short timeframe, signaling a decisive moment in the bilateral diplomatic feud. This sequence followed prior remarks by Azerbaijan’s president, who in November asserted that France had encouraged and armed separatists operating in Armenia, a claim linked to anti-Armenian mobilization and religious and ethnic tensions that continue to influence regional security calculations in the South Caucasus.
Earlier statements from Azerbaijan urged France to avoid provoking Armenia into renewed conflict, indicating that Baku viewed Paris as playing a destabilizing role in a sensitive geopolitical arena. The evolving narrative reflects a broader discourse about the responsibilities of foreign powers in regional conflicts and the potential consequences of interventions perceived as exacerbating tensions. Such developments underscore the delicate balance that diplomats must navigate when managing bilateral relations amid a volatile strategic landscape. In this context, both sides presented their positions through formal channels, while observers noted the potential implications for ongoing cooperation in areas like energy, security, and regional diplomacy. Attribution: .”}