France has announced the start of a normalisation process with Azerbaijan, a day after Baku pardoned French national Martin Ryan. In a statement released on Thursday, the French foreign ministry described the decision as a step towards improving relations between the two countries, which have been strained for decades.
The statement said Ryan's release was the result of a "patient and demanding dialogue" with Azerbaijani authorities, which France intends to continue. It also called the pardon a "humanitarian gesture" that Paris salutes.
Ryan, a French businessman, was arrested in December 2023 and later sentenced to ten years in prison on espionage charges. France had consistently challenged the proceedings, calling them arbitrary and based on an unfair trial.
The release came as part of a wider diplomatic arrangement that saw the EU remove Uzbek-Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov from its Russia sanctions list. Several Turkic countries had lobbied for his delisting, and Paris linked its support for that move to Azerbaijan's willingness to free Ryan and another French national.
On Tuesday, the EU agreed to lift sanctions on Usmanov, and on Wednesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree pardoning Ryan. The Frenchman left Baku shortly afterwards.
The French statement makes no direct reference to the Usmanov case, but the timing is clear. The apparent breakthrough coincides with ongoing peace efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Karabakh region, where France has long been one of Armenia's strongest supporters.
A fragile thaw
Relations between Paris and Baku have been deeply fraught, with mutual accusations of interference and espionage. France's support for Armenia has been a persistent irritant, and the two countries have clashed over issues ranging from energy to human rights.
Analysts see Ryan's release as a potential opening for broader dialogue, but caution that deep mistrust remains. The normalisation process is likely to be slow and conditional, with both sides watching each other's moves carefully.
For France, the release also carries domestic significance. The case had become a sensitive issue, with opposition politicians criticising the government's handling of it. The foreign ministry's statement seeks to present the outcome as a diplomatic success, achieved through quiet persistence rather than public confrontation.
The broader context includes the deal that freed Ryan, which has raised questions about the EU's sanctions policy and the influence of third countries. Some European lawmakers have expressed concern that the removal of Usmanov from the sanctions list sets a precedent for trading sanctions relief for diplomatic favours.
Meanwhile, the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains fragile. France has been a vocal advocate for a lasting settlement, and its role in the region is closely watched. The normalisation with Azerbaijan could either support or complicate those efforts, depending on how it unfolds.
For now, Paris is framing the release as a positive step, but the road ahead is uncertain. The foreign ministry's statement ends with a commitment to continue the dialogue, but it does not specify what further steps might follow. Observers will be looking for signs of concrete progress in the coming months.
The release also comes at a time when France is dealing with other challenges, including rising public debt and domestic political tensions. The government will hope that the resolution of the Ryan case provides a rare piece of good news on the international front.
As the normalisation process begins, both France and Azerbaijan will be testing each other's intentions. Whether this marks a genuine turning point or a temporary easing of tensions remains to be seen.
