PARIS: France’s Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher will stay away from the COP29 global climate change conference in Baku after “unacceptable” attacks by Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev, she said Wednesday (Nov 13).
Aliyev had accused France of “crimes” and “human rights violations” in overseas territories including New Caledonia in the south Pacific, where 13 people have been killed this year in protests that broke out in May over a contested voting reform.
“President Aliyev’s words against France and Europe as the COP29 opened in Baku are unacceptable,” Pannier-Runacher told the French Senate (upper house).
Azerbaijan’s leader was using “the fight against climate change for a shameful personal agenda,” she added.
Aliyev had earlier charged that “the regime of President (Emmanuel) Macron killed 13 people and wounded 169 … during legitimate protests by the Kanak people in New Caledonia”.
