French lawmakers urging Yerevan and Baku to sign peace agreement

ArmInfo. The France-Armenia Friendship Group and International Information Group on  Nagorno-Karabakh  of the French Senate are calling for the signing of  a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as noted in a  statement by the Friendship Group posted on the website of the French  Senate.

It is noted that the Chairman of the France-Armenia  Interparliamentary Friendship Group of the Senate, Gilbert-Luc  Devinaz and Etienne Blanc, the Chairman of the International  Information Group on Nagorno- Karabakh, welcome Armenia's commitment  to reaching a peace agreement with Azerbaijan. Also, they call for  its swift signing in order to advance a lasting peace process in the  South Caucasus.

"The signing of this agreement should be the first step in the  negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.  The goal is to achieve  normalization of relations while respecting the sovereignty and  territorial integrity of both countries. Until the signing of this  agreement, the EU monitoring mission, whose mandate has been extended  until 2027, should continue its work. Its role is significant, as it  has significantly reduced the number of incidents observed in areas  with a high risk of confrontation.

The signing of this agreement should lead to the release of all  prisoners illegally held by Azerbaijan and the effective  implementation of the International Court of Justice's decision of   November 17, 2023, which enshrines the right of safe  and unhindered  return of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, and respecting  their rights. Today, we are talking about peace in the South Caucasus  with the potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in a region  that is open to exchanges and prosperity for its people," the  statement said.