Peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku should be signed - French Foreign Minister

YEREVAN, May 26. /ARKA/. France encourages Azerbaijan to sign the peace treaty with Armenia, French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot said today.

“France has been supporting Armenia's efforts to reach an agreement with Azerbaijan and we have welcomed it,” Barrot said Monday at a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Yerevan.   

He said the region plays a central role, the peace treaty is important and it should be signed.

On March 13, Armenian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Yerevan and Baku had finalized talks on the draft agreement on establishment of peace and interstate relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, saying also that Armenia is ready for signing it and Yerevan is ready to begin consultations with Baku on the timing and place of its signing.

The United States, European Union, France, Germany, the People’s Republic of China, Russia and many other countries all voiced support for the agreement 

Azerbaijan says it will sign the treaty only after Armenia amends its constitution, which Baku argues has territorial claims against Azerbaijan and agrees to dissolve the OSCE Minsk group, the only internationally-mandated format to resolve the Karabakh conflict. 

Armenian PM Pashinyan says his government is ready to ask OSCE to solve the Minsk group in parallel with the signing of the treaty.-