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JOINT EFFORTS REQUIRED TO RESOLVE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
Trend, Azerbaijan
May 12 2014
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 12
By Seymur Aliyev - Trend:
France intends to strengthen its relations, as well as Europe's ties
with independent partners, French President Francois Hollande said
in Baku on May 12.
He was answering the questions as part of the Azerbaijani-French
business forum.
"This is the purpose of my visit to Azerbaijan," he said.
He also stressed that the visit is not directed against anyone.
"We do not intend to convince anyone to refuse from cooperating with
anyone," he said. "Our goal is to help the country to express itself
and its positions. This concerns Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and
Ukraine, as well as other countries."
"Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the regional problems," he said. "This
issue was discussed during a meeting with the Azerbaijani president."
The French president said that he intends to discuss this issue with
the Armenian counterpart.
"Our goal is to find a solution to this conflict," he said. "The
territorial issues will be discussed during my visit to Georgia,
where this problem is also relevant."
"France is the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country," he said. "It has
been searching for different ways on sustainable and final settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for a long time. There are issues
hampering the conflict settlement."
"Nevertheless, the fact that I have visited Azerbaijan and then will
leave for Armenia shows that the work continues. France is bound by
friendly relations both with Azerbaijan and Armenia," Hollande said.
The French president emphasized the need for joint efforts to resolve
the conflict.
Today's purpose is to hold meetings between the heads of two states
in order to achieve new progress in resolving the conflict, Hollande
added.
He went on to add that this conflict impedes the region's development
and the free movement of people.
"France has always been active and is seeking new ways of resolving
the conflict. This concerns the situation in Ukraine as well. Very
tough decisions will be adopted with respect to the situation in this
country is the coming days. We should strictly abide by the principles
and give priority to dialogue in this issue."
"The issues regarding the respect for national minorities are
characteristic for Ukraine, France, as well as for African and Eastern
European countries. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council,
France wants to be helpful from this point of view as well," French
president said.
He pointed out that the visa facilitation issues have been discussed
during the negotiations in Baku, adding that the bilateral relations
shouldn't be confined to economic issues.
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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently
holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Edited by S.I.
Trend, Azerbaijan
May 12 2014
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 12
By Seymur Aliyev - Trend:
France intends to strengthen its relations, as well as Europe's ties
with independent partners, French President Francois Hollande said
in Baku on May 12.
He was answering the questions as part of the Azerbaijani-French
business forum.
"This is the purpose of my visit to Azerbaijan," he said.
He also stressed that the visit is not directed against anyone.
"We do not intend to convince anyone to refuse from cooperating with
anyone," he said. "Our goal is to help the country to express itself
and its positions. This concerns Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and
Ukraine, as well as other countries."
"Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the regional problems," he said. "This
issue was discussed during a meeting with the Azerbaijani president."
The French president said that he intends to discuss this issue with
the Armenian counterpart.
"Our goal is to find a solution to this conflict," he said. "The
territorial issues will be discussed during my visit to Georgia,
where this problem is also relevant."
"France is the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country," he said. "It has
been searching for different ways on sustainable and final settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for a long time. There are issues
hampering the conflict settlement."
"Nevertheless, the fact that I have visited Azerbaijan and then will
leave for Armenia shows that the work continues. France is bound by
friendly relations both with Azerbaijan and Armenia," Hollande said.
The French president emphasized the need for joint efforts to resolve
the conflict.
Today's purpose is to hold meetings between the heads of two states
in order to achieve new progress in resolving the conflict, Hollande
added.
He went on to add that this conflict impedes the region's development
and the free movement of people.
"France has always been active and is seeking new ways of resolving
the conflict. This concerns the situation in Ukraine as well. Very
tough decisions will be adopted with respect to the situation in this
country is the coming days. We should strictly abide by the principles
and give priority to dialogue in this issue."
"The issues regarding the respect for national minorities are
characteristic for Ukraine, France, as well as for African and Eastern
European countries. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council,
France wants to be helpful from this point of view as well," French
president said.
He pointed out that the visa facilitation issues have been discussed
during the negotiations in Baku, adding that the bilateral relations
shouldn't be confined to economic issues.
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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently
holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Edited by S.I.