French historian: Minsk Group must understand its responsibility

"It is enough to refer to historical facts to understand the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The lands returned as to recent military operations were Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia," French historian and journalist Alain Roumestand told Report's French bureau.

He said bilateral relations between France and Azerbaijan have always been at a high level: "Azerbaijan is a bridge between the West and the East. While working on a documented article, I went to Azerbaijan and met with women politicians, entrepreneurs, and women in the industry, and I witnessed the high status of women in Muslim countries. Multiculturalism in Azerbaijan has always been appreciated in France."

"Today, France is recognized in Azerbaijan as a country that supports Armenia and lost its neutrality during the military operation in 2020. The support of a group of French parliamentarians for Armenia and the statements of some intellectuals that 'Muslim Azerbaijan wants to destroy Christian Armenia' were naturally negatively received by Azerbaijanis. However, in the near future, France must strengthen its policy of mutual economic development through companies operating in Azerbaijan. More than 50 French companies operate in Azerbaijan in energy, aviation, space industry, transport, water supply, and agriculture. Azerbaijani IDPs displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh will gradually return to their lands. However, these areas were completely destroyed. France can be closely involved in reconstructing the liberated lands. France can pursue a balanced policy between Armenia and Azerbaijan and contribute to creating favorable conditions for the region's economic development."

The French historian also touched upon the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan:

"The lands returned by Azerbaijan as a result of recent military operations did not belong to Armenia; they were Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia. When Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan came to power, there were hopes for a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Like his predecessor, he was not from Nagorno-Karabakh. It was possible to overcome the crisis by returning the occupied lands.

"Azerbaijani leaders undoubtedly believed that the situation between the two countries could change. Unfortunately, at the instigation of public opinion and the army, the Prime Minister of Armenia started a dangerous war. However, it would be wiser to return the occupied territories to their owners. Today, Azerbaijan wants nothing but peace in Nagorno-Karabakh. France, Russia, and the United States are co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. Finally, the Minsk Group must understand its responsibility and act quickly for peace."