CHANGE IN PRESIDENCY IN FRANCE WILL NOT AFFECT BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN: CHAIR OF FRENCH-CAUCASUS FRIENDSHIP GROUP

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 21 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend I.Alizade / Senator Ambruaz Dupont,
the chairman of the French-Caucasus friendship group at the French
Senate, stated on 21 May that the change in presidency in France will
have no affect on bilateral relations with Azerbaijan.

He noted that bilateral relations between the two countries are at
a high level and well organized.

"During Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to France
we witnessed the level of bilateral relations," he stressed.

He noted that Paris puts every effort to see peace reigning in the
South Caucasus and intends to proceed with its activities in this
direction.

Speaking on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Dupont announced that the
conflict caused much harm to Azerbaijan. "Nevertheless, peace ought
to reign in the region," he stated.

"It will only be possible when both sides are eager to achieve peace.

The OSCE Minsk Group continues its activities in this direction.

French Ambassador Bernard Fassier, an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair,
is to tour the region on 24 May. At the same time the chairman of
the French Senate is personally interested in the resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he noted.

With respect to his current visit to Azerbaijan the Senator said that
it is just a visit paid within the framework of the friendship group,
but nothing extraordinary.

"The Senate and the National Assembly have established friendship
groups with many countries. I have numerously visited Azerbaijan within
the framework of the friendship group. I observe over the functioning
of the French Culture Center and over the development of relations,"
he stressed.

During the visit a delegation of the French Senate visited the Cemetery
of Honors, ex President Heydar Aliyev’s grave and the Cemetery of
Honors. The French guests also plan to meet with MP Mehriban Aliyeva,
the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, as well as leaders of
the parliament and members of the Azerbaijani-French interparliamentary
friendship group.

The delegation led by Dupont is expected to be received by Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev.