Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian met France's Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday, December 20 in Paris to discuss the preparations of the 2018 International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) Summit, to be held Yerevan in October 2018.

At the meeting, the sides discussed issues relating to Armenian-French relations, as well as inter-parliamentary ties, decentralized cooperation, the expansion of trade and economic ties and partnership in the field of education.

Also, the top diplomats weighed in on the relations between Armenia and the European Union after the two signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement on November 24.

At the end of the talks, the Armenian foreign minister briefed his French counterpart on Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group’s efforts aimed at the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Formal diplomatic relations between Armenia and France were established in February 1992 and are regarded as excellent, with both countries cooperating on the aspects of diplomacy, culture and military.