President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev promised to help the overseas territories of France to gain independence, reported Reuters.
Aliev accuses Paris of interfering in the internal affairs of his country because of the contacts of the French authorities with Armenia, with which Azerbaijan has fought two wars over the past 30 years, related to disputes over the Nagorno-Karabakh region that broke away from Baku, BTA noted. .
In recent months, Azerbaijani leaders have turned their attention to the embattled French territory of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. Discontent in New Caledonia has been sparked by electoral reform, which is contested by the indigenous Kanaki people.
"We will support you until you are free," Aliyev told the participants of an international media forum in the city of Shusha. "The Comoros, Mayotte are still under colonial rule. It is our duty to help these countries free themselves from this disgusting remnant of the past," the Azerbaijani president added.
A congress was held in Baku earlier this week involving independence movements from New Caledonia and other French territories, including Corsica and islands in the Caribbean and Pacific region.
In May, Paris accused Baku of inciting unrest in New Caledonia by circulating photos and videos targeting French police on social media. The French authorities described the materials in question as misleading.
Azerbaijan denies these allegations and in turn accuses France of bias against Armenia, while efforts are being made to conclude a peace treaty to end the long-standing conflict between Baku and Yerevan.