FRENCH EMBASSY IN ANKARA ISSUES STATEMENT ON NORMALIZATION OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
May 21, 2009 Thursday

The Embassy of France in Turkey has issued a statement following OSCE
Minsk Group French co-chair Bernard Fassier`s visit to the country.

The statement says the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations and
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should go on in parallel
with one another, though they are different problems, according to
Turkey-based Anatolia News Agency.

The statement goes on to say that the OSCE continues its mediation
efforts to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute peacefully.

France, together with other co-chairs – the United States and Russia,
will continue efforts towards just and lasting resolution of the
conflict, the statement runs.

The document notes Paris will also support normalization of the
Turkish-Armenian relations. Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
will have positive impact on rapprochement between the two countries
and resolution of other conflicts in region.