Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

France doesn’t recognize the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and doesn’t maintain any relations with those who consider themselves the “leaders” of this regime, the French Foreign Ministry said in a message, RIA Novosti reported.

The ministry was commenting on the visit to France by “head” of the separatist entity created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

“As a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, France is working to find a peaceful and sustainable solution and impartially fulfills its mission of a mediator,” the message said.

On Nov. 15, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said that France’s constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

"Bako Sahakyan’s visit to France, presenting himself as the “head” of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level," the Foreign Ministry said.

“France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations,” reads the statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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