We are committed to support Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations. US Department of State
The US State Department responded to the "Voice of America" inquiry about US-France cooperation in the South Caucasus. Earlier, during his stay in Paris, Secretary of State Blinken discussed South Caucasian developments with his French counterpart.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was in Paris the other day, where he had a meeting with French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne on April 2. At the joint press conference following the meeting, the French Foreign Minister informed that he and Blinken also discussed the territorial integrity of Armenia, which, according to the French Foreign Minister, "is disputed by Azerbaijan today."
In his speech, Stefan Sejourne expressed concern about Azerbaijan's rhetoric, calling it "out of control".
"We are also registering an increase in fake news from Baku. They [Azerbaijan] tend to blame Armenia for the escalation, although Armenia is probably the only one that wants and tries to avoid it. I can see many common elements in all that propaganda, if we draw parallels with what Russia imposes on Ukraine," said the head of the French Foreign Ministry, stressing that six months before the COP29 summit in Baku, it is necessary to "pay extreme attention " to the above.
Italy criticized this statement of French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejournay. According to the Italian newspaper Giornale Diplomatico, Edmondo Chirielli, the deputy foreign minister of that country, said, in particular. "The ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia is now strong, thanks to the responsibility of both countries. However, it is clear that any irresponsible statements by representatives of institutions other than the parties involved threatens with new tensions. ...The statements made at the joint press conference of the US Secretary of State and the Foreign Minister of the Republic of France certainly do not contribute to calming down the situation. It would be useful and appropriate if Sejourne did not harm the efforts of those who are moving with a sober mind towards the final peace in this region," said the Italian diplomat.
Naturally, Baku also criticized the French Foreign Minister's statement, calling on Paris to take an example from Rome's "balanced" approaches.
In turn, Yerevan stated that "the reference of the French Foreign Minister on April 2 and the goals and important contribution of France's involvement in the path of establishing peace in the region are known to all partners."
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia emphasized. "We value, of course, the contribution of France also as a member of the European Union, whose mission in 2022 since October, after the same Prague meeting, it has been monitoring the interstate border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and has issued relevant messages in recent days. We believe that the relevant activities and assessments of the mandate of the EU mission should be taken into account, including in the positions of all EU member states."
To remind, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited France before leaving for Brussels, where the tripartite meeting between Blinken-Von der Leyen-Pashinyan is scheduled for April 5. In this regard, the US State Department announced that the tripartite meeting between the United States, the European Union and Armenia will discuss "US and EU support for Armenia's economic resilience as the country works to diversify its trade partnerships and address humanitarian needs."
Before Blinken's visit to France, the US Department of State had distributed a directory about US-France relations and the edges of cooperation, which specifically states: "Our relationship with the French Republic is based on our shared commitment to shared democratic values that are essential to mutual security, stability and prosperity. The United States and France work closely together around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific region, Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, and Latin America. We are working together to fight terrorism and stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."
In response to the "Voice of America" inquiry about US-France cooperation and possible prospects in the South Caucasus, the United States Department of State reported: "The United States, together with our EU partners, is committed to promoting a peaceful and prosperous future for the South Caucasus region." We are committed to support Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations. Direct dialogue is key to solving problems and achieving lasting peace. We remain engaged, bilaterally, with partners and through multilateral organizations, to facilitate dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan."
