Former Prime Minister on Heydar Aliyev's visit to France: For Armenians it was like a bolt from the blue

Heydar Aliyev's first official visit as president specifically to France was a revolutionary step.

As reported by BAKU.WS, this was stated by the first Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Hasan Hasanov, in the program Təmas xətti ("Line of Contact") on Public Television (İTV).

He spoke about his invitation to UNESCO.

"I was supposed to take official part in Azerbaijan's accession to UNESCO. I informed Heydar Aliyev about this, and he replied: "Consult with the ambassador, find out what benefit your trip will bring." The ambassador said that if I went as a minister, then-President of France François Mitterrand would receive me. Indeed, Mitterrand received me and said he knew Heydar Aliyev very well by reputation. When he asked what we wanted, I conveyed Heydar Aliyev's invitation to visit Azerbaijan. Mitterrand replied that he would not be able to come, but expressed readiness to invite Heydar Aliyev to France. That is, he himself uttered exactly the phrase I needed. The letter was written, signed, and personally handed to me. When I announced this meeting upon returning to Baku, it was like a bolt from the blue for the Armenians. They categorically did not want Heydar Aliyev to establish contacts with anyone in the international arena. But the opposite happened - it was France, the main country they were counting on, that opened this path itself," said Hasan Hasanov.

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