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Azerbaijan beforehand condemned French colonialism within the abroad territories, whereas France supported Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh.
France has accused Azerbaijan of being behind the protests and violence which have rocked the Pacific island territory of New Caledonia in current days over the French authorities’s resolution to vary its voting legislation.
Azerbaijan, which historically has little presence within the Asia-Pacific area and is nearly 14,000 km away from New Caledonia, has denied accusations of interference.
However what’s behind their diplomatic row and the way does New Caledonia play a task in it?
Here is what we all know thus far.
What’s taking place in New Caledonia?
This week, mass protests broke out in New Caledonia after the French parliament handed reforms permitting French individuals who have lived in New Caledonia for ten years or extra to vote in native provincial elections in New Caledonia.
The French authorities has argued that these reforms protect democracy within the archipelago. However locals – particularly these from the indigenous Kanak communities, who make up 40 p.c of the island’s inhabitants – concern this can undermine their efforts to realize independence from France.
New Caledonia, one of many largest French abroad territories, is situated between Australia and Fiji. France occupied the world in 1853 and intentionally populated it with French residents who displaced the indigenous Kanak communities.
5 folks have been killed and a whole lot injured within the violent protests, which have included looting and arson and are the worst violence New Caledonia has seen in three a long time, consultants say. In response, France declared a state of emergency in New Caledonia on Wednesday and deployed 500 extra army and police personnel to strengthen the prevailing 1,800 police and gendarmes stationed within the space.
Why is France accusing Azerbaijan of supporting the protests?
France accused Azerbaijan of interference after Azerbaijani flags had been seen subsequent to Kanak symbols in the course of the protests. Pictures of such flags additionally began making the rounds on social media.
Kanak independence activists waving Azerbaijani flags in South Pacific island New Caledonia could be the most absurd factor I’ve seen recently. pic.twitter.com/2d3eMpliDR
— Dor Shabashewitz (@shabashewitz) Could 15, 2024
Azerbaijan has spoken out in opposition to what it sees as French colonialism. In July 2023, Baku invited pro-independence individuals from the French territories of Martinique, French Guiana, New Caledonia and French Polynesia to a convention entitled “In direction of the Full Elimination of Colonialism”.
This convention resulted within the formation of the Baku Initiative Group, whose aim is “to assist the simply wrestle of the peoples struggling underneath France’s colonial insurance policies.” This week, the Group launched an announcement expressing solidarity with the indigenous Kanak folks in opposition to the brand new French reforms. “We stand in solidarity with our Kanak buddies and assist their honest wrestle,” the assertion stated.
On Thursday, French Inside Minister Gerald Darmanin advised TV channel France 2 that Azerbaijan, together with China and Russia, was “interfering” in New Caledonia.
“I remorse that a number of the Caledonian pro-independence leaders have made a take care of Azerbaijan,” he claimed.
He added: “Even when there are makes an attempt at interference… France is sovereign by itself territory, and a lot the higher for it.”
How has Azerbaijan responded to the accusations from France?
Baku has denied the French Inside Minister’s allegations.
“We refute any hyperlink between the leaders of the liberty wrestle in Caledonia and Azerbaijan,” stated Ayhan Hajizadeh, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Overseas Ministry.
Azerbaijan has beforehand criticized French colonialism in its abroad territories.
Tensions between France and Azerbaijan have additionally been simmering since France expressed assist for Armenia within the battle over the disputed breakaway area of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is claimed by each international locations.
Why are France and Azerbaijan at loggerheads over Nagorno-Karabakh?
France, which has a sizeable Armenian diaspora of about 650,000 folks, has sided with Armenia in its battle with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
In 2020, the French Senate handed a decision calling for the area’s independence, prompting Azerbaijan to strip France of its mediating function within the Nagorno-Karabakh battle.
Tensions between France and Azerbaijan additional escalated throughout Baku’s army operation in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. In September, France signed protection agreements with Armenia and pledged to produce army tools.
In response, Azerbaijan’s Overseas Ministry launched an announcement saying: “France’s place reveals that it refuses to study from the present scenario within the colonial areas that it faces at this time and that it has and pursue insurance policies on this space”.
France blames Azerbaijan for violence in New Caledonia: unpacking their row | Battle information
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