France urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to advance in negotiation process

"Besides, the United States and Russia, France also urged the conflict sides to advance in their next meetings, including the St.-Petersburg meeting to be held in early June at the co-chairs' initiative," the statement of the French Foreign and European Affairs Ministry said on May 12.

Besides the OSCE Minsk Group U.S. and Russian co-chairs, French co-chair said he is making all efforts to assist Azerbaijan and Armenia in fairly settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7 districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

France said the last meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents set an example for the current negotiations and confirms a constructive character of attitude established between them.

"France urges the parties to exactly follow rules of primary ceasefire and documents which were directed to strengthen it," the statement said.

/Trend News/