Bangladesh, Sept. 24 -- A diplomatic sequence linking Azerbaijan, France and the European Union has drawn international attention after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned French citizen Martin Ryan, only a day after the EU removed Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov and Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list.

The developments have not been formally presented by all parties as a single agreement. However, European officials and diplomats cited in media reports have linked Frances campaign for Usmanovs delisting to efforts to secure the release of French nationals held in Azerbaijan. The timing of Ryans pardon has therefore intensified scrutiny of the diplomatic negotiations behind the EUs latest Russia-...