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France's inadequate policy makes question its participation in OSCE MG: expert

Commentary Materials 16 November 2018 18:59 (UTC +04:00)
The fact that Paris doesn’t prevent illegal visits to France by the “leaders” of the separatist regime, created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, and doesn’t prevent French MPs' visits to Nagorno-Karabakh is contrary to the norms and principles of international law, as well as makes question France's membership as an international mediator in the OSCE Minsk Group.
France's inadequate policy makes question its participation in OSCE MG: expert

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 16

By Matanat Nasibova – Trend:

The fact that Paris doesn’t prevent illegal visits to France by the “leaders” of the separatist regime, created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, and doesn’t prevent French MPs' visits to Nagorno-Karabakh is contrary to the norms and principles of international law, as well as makes question France's membership as an international mediator in the OSCE Minsk Group, Sirin Ali, an independent Turkish expert, told Trend.

She was commenting on the illegal visit to France by Bako Sahakyan, “head” of the separatist regime created in Azerbaijan’s occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region.

She said the mission of France as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group is to support the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means; however, the inadequate actions of Paris show that France isn’t much interested in this.

“For many years, this international structure has been demonstrating lack of initiative in the Karabakh conflict's settlement, and the fact that the problem still persists is the result of the idleness of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,” she said. “However, unlike France, Russia and the US try not to violate diplomatic etiquette. Every time, when visiting the region, high-ranking officials of the US administration and the Russian government pay visits to both Armenia and Azerbaijan. This fact was recently confirmed by the visit of the US National Security Adviser John Bolton to the region, during which he visited Baku and Yerevan.”

She added that Russia also demonstrates similar actions.

Sirin Ali noted that the recent visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Yerevan to participate in the Francophonie Summit showed unequivocal support of that European country for the occupation policy of Armenia.

“Considering the elementary ethics, the fact that France is represented in the OSCE MG as an international mediator, President Macron had to pay a visit to neighboring Azerbaijan as well, but he demonstrated an open pro-Armenian position of France,” she added.

She said the inadequate actions of the French president cast doubt on the participation of France as an international mediator in the OSCE Minsk Group, and also testify to the policy of double standards in relation to Azerbaijan.

On Nov. 15, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said that France’s constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

"Bako Sahakyan's visit to France, presenting himself as the “head” of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level," the Foreign Ministry said.

“France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations,” reads the statement.

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.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova

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