Baku. June 1. INTERFAX-AZERBAIJAN-The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry notes the absence of any role for France in ensuring and observing the truce in the region after the signing of the trilateral statement on Karabakh in November 2020.
"The truce in the region is ensured on the basis of the trilateral statement of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Russian Federation of November 10, 2020. Russian peacekeepers temporarily stationed on the territory of Azerbaijan are trying to ensure compliance with the truce. There is no role for France in this issue, " said Leyla Abdullayeva, head of the Press Service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, commenting on the words of French President Emmanuel Macron on the situation in the region.
According to her, Azerbaijan has always been a supporter of the exchange of prisoners of war on the principle of "all for all". "But we have repeatedly stated that we have no captured Armenian soldiers. As for the detained members of the Armenian sabotage groups sent to the territory of Azerbaijan on November 26, 2020, as well as during the mining of supply routes in the Kelbajar region of Azerbaijan, they are not prisoners of war," she stressed.
Abdullayeva added that there is a direct dialogue between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, including on unblocking communications in the region on the basis of the statement of January 11, 2021. "And in this matter, France has no role," she said.
Touching upon the issue of the delimitation and demarcation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, Abdullayeva said that Azerbaijan supports the beginning of the delimitation process and this issue should be resolved through negotiations.
"We once again emphasize that the Azerbaijani military serve in their native land. France has been a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group since 1997, but, unfortunately, Paris has never called for the withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the occupied Azerbaijani lands," she said, commenting on the French leader's call for the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani military from the border with Armenia.
Abdullayeva added that Azerbaijan has always been a supporter of resolving border issues through negotiations and " Baku is open for discussions and negotiations."
