BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 4. France shouldn't talk about commitments regarding the normalization of relations between countries, Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing, Trend reports.
Zakharova made the remark in response to statements of the French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna during her visit to Armenia.
"Yesterday, Colonna, while in Yerevan, made many bold statements that Russia did not fulfill certain commitments, as she put it, regarding the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. France was a co-sponsor and guarantor of the implementation of the Minsk agreements," the spokesperson reminded. "What did we later learn from Mr. Hollande [former French president]? That they had no intention of fulfilling them? I would advise Catherine Colonna to refrain from commenting on guarantees and commitments regarding the normalization of relations between countries where France considers itself or is considered a mediator."
"It would be better if she first spoke on the Minsk agreements. After all, this is a resolution of the UN Security Council," she added.
Russia was not alone in its negative reaction to Colonna's statements. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also condemned and rejected the unfounded accusations made against Azerbaijan by Colonna on October 3.
"Allegations of France, who never cared about the mass and forcible deportation of Azerbaijanis from their homelands, war crimes, and massacres committed against them for almost 30 years, claiming that voluntarily migrated Armenian residents from the region were forcibly displaced without any proof, as well as contrary to the position of the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other international organizations are intended to mislead the international community," the ministry said at the time.