Azerbaijani Forces Must Withdraw from the Sovereign Territory of Armenia: Macron

Armenia is facing a security crisis, and France is steadfast in its commitment to establish peace in the region. This was noted by French President Emmanuel Macron during a joint statement ahead of his meeting with Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, as reported by Armenpress from Paris, emphasizing that since the ceasefire declaration on November 9, 2020, there remains much to be done despite the overall preservation of peace.

“France is ready to assist in this matter, primarily referring to the release of prisoners of war and other detainees, as well as the demining of territories. The preservation of heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas is also a very important issue. Both Christian and Muslim heritage must be preserved without fail. As a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, it is France's duty to do everything possible so that the parties reach de-escalation and establish dialogue,” said the French president.

Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be carried out exclusively through dialogue and that force should not be utilized under any circumstances. “Azerbaijani forces must withdraw from the sovereign territory of Armenia, and I urge both sides to return to the positions existing as of May 11,” Macron stated. France will try to support the establishment of dialogue.

Emmanuel Macron underscored that in this challenging situation Armenia finds itself in, France stands by Armenia as always.

The agenda for the leaders of the two countries also includes issues of economic cooperation, outlining various directions, including collaboration on the development of Armenia's infrastructure and more.

“In these difficult times, France is determined to ensure that peace is established in the region,” Macron added.