Azerbaijani president accuses France of pursuing neocolonial policy

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday accused France of being one of the countries which continue their neocolonial policy.

Speaking at a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in the capital Baku, Aliyev urged French President Emmanuel Macron to apologize to the countries affected by French colonialism.

“Apologies to the millions of people whom his (Emmanuel Macron's) predecessors colonized, used as slaves, killed, tortured and humiliated.

“It will not only be recognition of France's historical guilt, but will also help it overcome the consequences of the deep political, social and humanitarian crisis in which it found itself after the brutal murder of an Algerian teenager,” he said.

Aliyev also said racist and discriminative rhetoric becomes common in France, including in the media.

Nahel M., a 17-year-old of Algerian descent, was shot at point-blank range by a police officer last week in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

Protests have since swept France after the fatal shooting of the teenager during a traffic check.

The officer faces a formal investigation for voluntary homicide and has been placed in preliminary detention.