French Senate discusses Khojaly genocide
Baku, February 26 (AZERTAC). Discussions on the Khojaly genocide have been held at the French Senate as Azerbaijan marks the 20th anniversary of the bloody massacre.
Deputy chairwoman of France-Caucasus friendship group, Senator Nathalie Goulet, made a speech at a Senate session as part of the "questions to the government on important issues" procedure.
The Senator expressed regret over the fact that the French media had not paid due attention to the issue of Armenia`s aggression against Azerbaijan.
She spoke of the Khojaly genocide, saying Armenians wiped out the town, killing 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elders.
Goulet stressed 4 UN Security Council resolutions demanding an unconditional and immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan`s occupied lands.
She expressed regret over the fact that Armenian continued to ignore the resolutions of the UN Security Council and other international organizations.
The Senator also touched upon the adoption by the Senate of a law criminalizing the denial of the so-called Armenian genocide.
“France is a co-chairing country of the Minsk Group to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. From this point of view, the adoption of the law forced our Azerbaijani friends to consider France`s position as pro-Armenian. So it is natural if Azerbaijan seeks the exclusion of France from the Minsk Group.”
Goulet recalled a recent visit to Baku by a French Senate delegation led by her, saying: “In Baku we told the Azerbaijani side that France`s position remains unchanged and the country doesn`t recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh republic, and supports the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan`s occupied lands, and backs the return of IDPs and restoration of Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity.”
“So I want to ask you Mr. Minister. Can you reiterate France`s position as an OSCE Group member,” Goulet noted.
French minister of cooperation Henry Raincourt said France`s position remained unchanged: “As a co-chairing country France supports a peaceful settlement of the conflict and remains committed to he principles agreed at the meetings held with participation of the heads of state of the co-chairing countries.”
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