Russia and France to work to stabilize situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

YEREVAN, September 24. /ARKA/. Foreign Ministers of Russia and France Sergei Lavrov and Jean-Yves Le Drian expressed mutual commitment to work for the stabilization of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Their meeting took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Interfax news agency said.

"Mutual disposition was expressed for working to stabilize the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, primarily in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Earlier, President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron said in a congratulatory message sent to Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian on the occasion of Armenia’s Independence Day that

France will spare no effort to find a lasting solution to the conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, to stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus for the sake of regional development and prosperity. He said this implies the resumption of dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan under the auspices of the Minsk Group co-chairs.

On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijani armed forces, backed by Turkey and foreign mercenaries and terrorists, attacked Nagorno-Karabakh along the entire front line using rocket and artillery weapons, heavy armored vehicles, military aircraft and prohibited types of weapons such as cluster bombs and  phosphorus weapons.

After 44 days of the war, on November 9, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a statement on the cessation of all hostilities. According to the document, the town of Shushi, the districts of Agdam, Kelbajar and Lachin were handed over to Azerbaijan, with the exception of a 5-kilometer corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia. 

A Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed along the contact line in Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor. -0-