French co-chair denies Armenia’s responsibility for ceasefire breaches

Baku, May 27, AssA-Irada

French co-chair of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group Bernard Fassier
has denied Armenia’s responsibility for breaching ceasefire on the
frontline. “Do you think the ceasefire is violated only by Armenia? You
are wrong”, he told a news conference at the French embassy in Baku
on Friday.

Fassier said that ceasefire breaches jeopardize peace talks and the
conflicting sides should ‘prepare their countries for compromises
instead of making acute statements’.

The co-chair mentioned that he was an officer in the French army for
25 years prior to becoming a diplomat, which played an important in
role in terms of his present activity. “War is the worst way out”, he
said, emphasizing that France supports a peaceful conflict resolution.

“The co-chairs can only provide advice and will not solve the problem
instead of the conflicting sides. Both countries believe that the
Minsk Group is to blame if nothing happens. But progress has not been
achieved so far because the sides have not been ready for this.”

Fassier provided three reasons for his visit to Azerbaijan: the
May 25 launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline,
an unprecedented event in the country’s history; a letter of
congratulation forwarded by the French President to his Azerbaijani
counterpart Ilham Aliyev on this occasion; and finally, fulfilling
his duties in the capacity of the French co-chair.

Fassier said that his meeting with Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev
on Thursday, of familiarization nature, was efficient. The co-chair
added that during his future visits to the country, he plans to meet
with the parliament speaker and MPs, as well as the public and leaders
of religious organizations.*