Emmanuel Macron - LA FRANCOPHONIE SUMMIT
President of France Emmanuel Macron

International Reactions to Peace Treaty

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MOSCOW (Combined Sources) — On Monday and Tuesday, leaders around the world reacted to the shock ceasefire agreement arrived at by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.

The office of French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday it was studying the parameters of a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, but said any lasting agreement needed to take into consideration the interests of Armenia.

In a statement, the office also said Turkey should end its provocations in the region and refrain from doing anything that could compromise a future accord.

Macron on Tuesday called for a “lasting political solution” to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed a deal to end weeks of fierce fighting, AFP reports.

Macron also urged that Turkey, which backs Azerbaijan, to “end its provocations” in the conflict.

“France firmly calls on Turkey to put an end to its provocations about Nagorno-Karabakh, to show restraint and to do nothing that compromises the possibility of a lasting agreement being negotiated between the parties and within the framework of the Minsk Group,” the French president said.

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He added that a long-term deal should also “preserve Armenia’s interests.”

Macron’s office quoted him as saying that efforts should be made “without delay” to try to come up with a “lasting political solution to the conflict that allows for the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to remain in good conditions and the return of tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes.”

The French president said he will actively pursue his consultations with Russia and will meet “very soon” with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders.

Macron said that France, which is home to a strong Armenian community, “stands by Armenia at this difficult time.”

Along with Russia and the United States, France is a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group that has for nearly three decades spearheaded international efforts to broker a negotiated peace for Nagorno-Karabakh.

The European Union released a statement saying that it welcomes the cessation of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh, European External Action Service spokesperson Peter Stano said in Brussels, TASS reports.

“We’ve been calling for this since the beginning of military actions. We are now analyzing the consequences of the war and the situation in the region, after which we will make a separate statement,” he said.

President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili said “A new era starts in the Caucasus. I congratulate our friends Armenia and Azerbaijan for ending a tragic war and thank all the facilitators. My sympathy to the families of the victims. Peace and stability have no alternative! We launch together a new chapter of cooperation,” she said.

Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia spoke with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Gakharia praised the establishment of ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh.

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani expressed satisfaction with the result.

“Being the neighbor of both the Republic of Armenia and the Azerbaijani Republic and considering our numerous historical similarities with the regional peoples, the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses satisfaction over the decision made by the leaders of the two countries mediated by Russia to end the military operations and start the process of diplomatic settlement,” the president of Iran said.

Rouhani added that he hoped that the two countries will be able to solve their disputes peacefully and in the sidelines of the international law.

“For that goal Iran presents a peaceful plan of establishing ceasefire and peace, as well as holds intensive talks with the conflicting sides and other interested countries and we will spare no efforts for de-escalating the tensions and establishing stable and fair security in that region for the sake of stability and peace,” Rouhani said.

(Tass, Armenpress, RFE/RL contributed to this report.)

 

 

 

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