Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 29
Trend:
France does not recognize the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic", the agreements signed by the local executive bodies do not impose any responsibility on the French government for their implementation and these agreements do not have any legal force, the French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Aurelia Bouchez stated on Oct. 29, the French diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan said in a message.
The French ambassador once again expressed sincere condolences to the families and friends of the people who died during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and sympathy to the displaced persons.
"As for the visits of the mayors of French cities to Nagorno-Karabakh, the position of France is clear and unequivocal. As a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, France, based on impartial position, continues the mediation mission between Armenia and Azerbaijan," the message reads.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.