AZERBAIJANI AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE ELCHIN AMIRBEYOV: “FRANCE’S NEW ADMINISTRATION TOLD US THAT THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF THIS COUNTRY ON NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT REMAINS CONSTANT” – INTERVIEW
APA
June 25 2012
Azerbaijan
“Withdrawing from their position Armenians challenged the process
of negotiations”
“France-Azerbaijan relations are growing. French president paid first
official visit to Azerbaijan last autumn and wide range of important
issues were discussed during this visit”, Azerbaijani Ambassador to
France Elchin Amirbeyov told APA.
The ambassador said that France is very important country in terms of
its role in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, the most painful problem for Azerbaijan. “As one of the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, France has been working for 15 years and
every meeting, talks between the presidents is very important from
this point of view. France is one the most important countries of the
West Europe and the world. The country is a permanent member of the
UN Security Council and plays important role in many processes of the
world. France is an economically attractive country for Azerbaijan
and Azerbaijan is also leading partner country for France in the
South Caucasus in terms of its energy resources and economic potential.
French ministry of culture organized “Pearls of France” art exhibition
in Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev Foundation and First Lady of Azerbaijan
Mehriban Aliyeva organized a series of exhibitions, concerts and
other culture events in Paris. These events were very interesting
for the French society. We are participating in NATO’s multinational
peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan – ISAF and Azerbaijan is an
important partner for France from this point of view as well.
Azerbaijan has appointed its defense attache to France recently and
most probably the defense attache will start his mission in France in
the near future. I consider that recent domestic processes in France
could positively contribute to the development of relations between
the countries.”
The ambassador said that the results of presidential and parliamentary
elections in the country can give only positive contribution to
development of the relations between our countries: “All sides
of the French political spectrum strive to continue the relations
with Azerbaijan and in my opinion it will not make radical changes
in the relations with such countries as Azerbaijan. France’s new
administration told us that the official position of this country on
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict remains constant and it doesn’t decrease
its support and role in the peaceful settlement of the conflict within
the OSCE Minsk Group and it intends to activate this role.”
Elchin Amirbeyov said that chairman of the France-Azerbaijan Friendship
Group, which is operating in the National Assembly, Jean-Louis Dumont
has been re-elected to the parliament. “Perhaps, he will lead this
group again or will be replaced. Serious changes are expected in
the composition of the friendship group, because we know that, the
leftists have absolute majority in the parliament and I would like
that the new group to be more active in the National Assembly.”
Commenting the visit of French Senators to the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan the ambassador said that such cases are unacceptable for
our country: “Our investigations showed that these persons visited
the occupied territories under pressure of Armenians. Our embassy
submitted his note both to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Senate, as well as addressed each member of the Senate
expressing official position of Azerbaijan. Such visits damages not
only inter-parliamentary relations but also bilateral relations of
our countries. These persons were included into the black list and
they will never visit Azerbaijan.”
The ambassador commented on Paris meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian
foreign ministers: “The direct contacts between the sides haven’t
been realized for some time. The main reason is that Armenia didn’t
observe its obligations and made negative changes in its position.
Undoubtedly, a serious damage was caused to this negotiations process
and Armenians challenged whole negotiations process withdrawing from
their positions. Certainly, in such case, certain difficulties were
created in holding any negotiations. It seems to me that the co-chair
countries understand it very well, but their main goal is to prevent
the stop of this process, because if this process stops and there is
no perspective, the weapons work and we see its results. Both sides
had losses and the situation in the region became more strained. In
my opinion, neither America nor France and Russia want the further
aggravated and strained situation. That’s why France initiated the
Paris meeting of foreign ministers of both countries on June 18. The
ministers decided that the co-chairs should visit the region again in
the near future and make any new proposals taking into account the
positions of both sides. Regarding the new proposals, of course,
the absolutely new proposals are out of question, because these
negotiations have been held for years and it is difficult to start
from point zero and bring new proposals”.