Interview of the ambassador of Azerbaijan in France Rahman Mustafayev to APA

- As it is known, Armenian radicals stormed the building of the Azerbaijani embassy in Paris the other day.

Did the embassy formally request security from French law enforcement agencies in advance?

- Let me mention in advance that this is not the first fact that the Azerbaijani embassy in France has been subjected to such provocations and attacks.

Since 2017, we have raised the issue with the French government at all levels regarding security, that the Azerbaijani Embassy and the House of Culture of Azerbaijan are not protected.

However, there has been a stationary post in front of the French embassy in Baku for a long time.

Although we want such a post to be created, since 2017 this issue has been neglected.

No serious steps have been taken and no serious reaction has been given regarding this matter.

We were always told "don't worry, if something happens, there is a mobile post in the block where the embassy is located, a security car is around, and if something happens, call the mobile post, they will come and there will be no problem".

During the Patriotic War in 2020, this issue happened again, members of the Armenian diaspora repeatedly came to the embassy and damaged the embassy building.

As I mentioned, at that time we raised this issue and received the same answer.

It has already become a tradition.

We have written about 50 notes and letters to the French side - to the Ministries of Foreign and Internal Affairs, to the police department.

- When was the last time you applied for the strengthening of security measures?

- On August 17, we sent the next written note.

Because after the incident at the Azerbaijani embassy in London, we once again brought to the attention of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs that there are attacks against the embassy, ​​and this is not only in London, but also in France.

Threatening letters have arrived at the mail of our embassy.

All these cases are seen and we have explained the situation to the French side with facts regarding the radical groups "Dashnaksutun" and ASALA in France.

These are reflected in the written notes we sent.

Our note was also answered earlier: "Don't worry, there is a mobile post in that area, if needed, you will contact them."

But unfortunately, the same thing happened this time.

The action started on September 18 at 14:20 local time,

up to 150 representatives of the Armenian diaspora came to the embassy building and started committing acts of violence.

We called the police and it wasn't until 2:50 PM that a police car arrived.

During yesterday's incident, the lock and door of the embassy building were broken, eggs and stones were thrown at the embassy building, windows, balcony, in short, the embassy building was damaged.

We were exposed to all this in 30 minutes.

And let me note that although the police did come, they did not actually play a role in preventing the incident.

- Has anyone been injured among the employees of the embassy?

- There are no injuries among the employees of the embassy.

Although there was an attempt to enter the embassy building, they did not succeed.

I remembered that yesterday was Sunday.

The embassy officer on duty resisted this attempt and closed the door.

The protestors stayed in the area for an hour and were forced to leave after their efforts failed.

- Has France reacted to the issue?

- At present, the lawyers of the embassy are taking appropriate legal measures to bring the culprits to justice and receive compensation for the damage.

After the incident, the clerk of the court, the person investigating the facts, came from the prefecture.

He collected facts about the damage to the embassy building, took pictures and recorded facts about the consequences of the incident.

We will file a lawsuit for the legal responsibility of the Armenian terrorist organization that committed this act of vandalism.

We will also try to compensate us for the damage caused either by this organization or the French government.

At the same time, we will raise the issue of guaranteeing the security of the embassy before the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.