The OSCE Minsk Group is constantly working to reach a reasonable solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the French Ambassador to Armenia Henri Reynaud told journalists, Armenia Today reported.
Responding to criticism of the Minsk Group, the diplomat noted that "it is always easy to criticize but more difficult to act."
According to him, the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are providing their full assistance.
As Henri Reynaud noted, in this difficult situation the negotiations are still continuing, intermediaries arrange meetings with foreign ministers or directly between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to the diplomat, this is a very significant contribution to the process.
As for Iran's statements on its readiness to become a mediator in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Reynaud said that negotiations are being carried out in the existing OSCE Minsk Group format.
"The sides of the conflict speak with great satisfaction about the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group. They declare their mutual desire in continuation of work in the OSCE Minsk Group format," Henri Reynaud said, reminding the recently adopted joint statement of the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries arose in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven Districts of the country surrounding it.
Since 1992, these territories have been under Armenian occupation. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, France and USA) are holding peace talks.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.