“We have opened our door so that everyone can participate in constructive and fruitful discussions. Our door remains open,” declared Ialtchine Rafiev, the chief negotiator of the Azerbaijani presidency of Cop29, during a press conference this Thursday, the day after the announcement that the French climate minister was canceling her visit to cause of a virulent speech by President Ilham Aliev against France.
“The host country, Azerbaijan, ensured that the process was inclusive,” said Rafiev, the man who coordinates the difficult negotiations of this Cop on a daily basis. He recalled that some 80 leaders and “hundreds of ministers” were expected in Baku.
“We hope that all participants have only one intention, that of joining us in this collective effort towards a positive result,” he added.
“Unacceptable” attacks
In a speech on Wednesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev reiterated attacks on France, denouncing the country's colonial history and speaking of “crimes” of “President Macron's regime” in its overseas territories.
In front of representatives of island states, some of whom applauded him heartily, he accused the “regime of President Macron” of having “killed 13 people and injured 169 people (…) during the legitimate protests of the Kanak people in New -Caledonia”.
A few hours later, the Minister of Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, announced from Paris that she would no longer go to Cop29 in reaction to “unacceptable” attacks.
French President Emmanuel Macron did not come to the summit of leaders at the start of Cop29, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The minister was initially scheduled to arrive next week, for the end of COP29.
France
