We Must Determine the Future Status of Nagorno-Karabakh: Jean-Yves Le Drian

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian sees the necessity to determine the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh. In a statement, he said, “It is crucial to cease hostilities. This is a commitment undertaken several times by the conflicting parties in recent weeks and is a priority issue we are committed to within the framework of the Minsk Group co-chairmanship. Therefore, we expect Azerbaijan to strictly adhere to its commitments and that its attacks will stop immediately. In this context, we ask Turkey not to do anything that could contradict this paramount objective,” stated Jean-Yves Le Drian.

According to him, during these challenging times, France reaffirms its friendship with the Armenian people, considering the close human, cultural, and historical ties with Armenia. “In this tragic situation, we stand by Armenia. We will work to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to Armenia. The prevailing situation on the ground, involving population displacement and battles in urban centers, has led to serious humanitarian consequences. In recent weeks, France has mobilized its efforts through many significant civil society initiatives. The French authorities support these initiatives by providing medical aid that arrived in Yerevan last weekend, which included teams of surgeons specialized in treating victims of the conflict. Other initiatives will be undertaken in the coming days to provide the necessary assistance to Armenia,” the French Foreign Minister stated.

He also emphasized that resuming negotiations between the parties for a sustainable resolution to the conflict after the ceasefire agreement is necessary. “France will play a full role within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. Negotiations between the two parties must resume without delay. They should allow for the return of people displaced by the conflict in recent weeks and establish the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh,” added Jean-Yves Le Drian.