Armenia, France call for resumption of Karabakh peace process within OSCE

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke over the phone on Friday, September 17 and stressed the need for resuming the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process within the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship.

The two commended the consistent development of Armenian-French privileged relations and reiterated their interest in expanding the multidimensional cooperation, the Armenian Foreign Ministry reports. The sides agreed to discuss in detail in the near future the prospects of promoting the cooperation in the economic sphere, including through the implementation of new development programs in Armenia.

The Foreign Ministers weighed in on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, emphasizing the need of resuming the peace process within the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. Mirzoyan noted that Armenia and the Armenian people highly appreciate the position of the French government and parliament and the steps undertaken during and following the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh (Karabakh).

The sides also exchanged views on the humanitarian issues following the 44-day war. In this context, Mirzoyan specifically emphasized the immediate repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians held in Azerbaijan.

The sides touched upon the situation resulting from infiltration of the Azerbaijani armed forces into the sovereign territory of Armenia. The need to make efforts aimed at de-escalating and stabilizing the situation was stressed.

Azerbaijani forces violated Armenia’s border in several sections in the provinces of Syunik and Gegharkunik on May 12 and 13 and are still refusing to withdraw their troops from the area. Since then, almost a dozen Armenian servicemen have been killed in Azerbaijan’s shooting, a dozen others have been wounded, while six troops were captured on May 27, although four of them have already returned home.

Foreign Minister Mirzoyan also expressed gratitude to the French side for its continued support in the fight against COVID-19.