15:52,

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has reiterated France’s support to Armenia given the challenges the country is facing.

Colonna said that it is an honor for France to be one of the countries that stand by Armenia to support it in overcoming the challenges.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, FM Colonna said that the main issue discussed during their meeting was the peace talks with Azerbaijan.

“We had a lengthy discussion about the regional situation. France expresses its full support to the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. France is not alone in this, France does this with the EU and the US, naturally by maintaining contact with the OSCE and the UN, which can have a useful role in this process. We all know that the path to peace is difficult and often long. I am saying this in Yerevan, like I said in Baku, this is the only path that will allow to achieve fair and sustainable peace, create new prospects for the future of the two countries. We encourage everyone to join that path. Fair and sustainable peace means peace which is based on respect for international law. In Prague, the President of France and the President of the European Council made efforts in order for Armenia and Azerbaijan to make an important step and reiterate their commitment to the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration, by which they mutually recognize each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We believe that is important to strengthen this achievement, perhaps by carrying out the delimitation works as a priority,” FM Colonna said.

At the same time, the French FM said that respect for the principle of territorial integrity is important and said that the Azerbaijani military advance into the sovereign territory of Armenia is unacceptable.

“Respect for territorial integrity means refraining from any kind of use of force. I’ve said this in Baku as well,” she said.

“International law must be respected, therefore we can’t accept the unilateral steps made by Azerbaijan,” she said.