The President of the Republic of France received today Mr. Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia and Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for a summit on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, according to the French President’s official website.
The French, American and Russian co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group of the, as well as the personal representative of the Presidency of the OSCE, were involved in the discussions.
The summit followed the visit by the President of France to the South Caucasus from 11 to 13 May. During this visit President Hollande had reaffirmed the commitment of France, in its capacity as co-chair of the Minsk Group, to continue the mediation to find a peaceful solution to this conflict, twenty years after the entry into force of the cease-fire.
In the context of escalation this summer in Nagorno-Karabakh, which caused many casualties, including civilians, the Paris Summit allowed the resumption of direct dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents. The French President marked the need for an effective decrease in the tension between the two parties on the ground.
The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents have decided to exchange data on missing the conflict under the auspices of the ICRC.
Francois Holland encouraged the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents to intensify their efforts towards a negotiated and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in accordance with the principles of international law and the principles identified by the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group. He noted that the status quo was not tenable.
He called on the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents to demonstrate the necessary political will to overcome their differences and prepare their populations for peace. To move forward, he proposed the launch of the drafting of a comprehensive peace agreement.
The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents agreed to continue their dialogue, including at a new meeting in September 2015 on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.
At the dinner, the President and his guests discussed more broadly the evolution of the Caucasus region and its relations with France.
