The France-Artsakh Friendship Circle supports the OSCE Minsk Group's charges against Azerbaijan.
French Co-chair of the Circle, French Senator Francois Rochebloine said that it was the first time that the OSCE MG co-chairs pointed out Azerbaijan's responsibility for tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Rochebloine commends the co-chairs for their statement recognizing Armenia's reserved attitude and implying that Nagorno-Karabakh is also a party to the peace talks.
The French Senator pointed out that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will not be settled if no attention is paid to Nagorno-Karabakh's position. He said that the OSCE MG co-chairs' statement contained an indirect call for withdrawal of snipers from the contact line – a call that is supported by Armenia but is rejected by Azerbaijan.
Rochebloine believes that the co-chairs are right when blaming Baku for instability in the conflict zone. "By putting a sign of equality between the one that attacks and the one who defends himself we will not be able to settle the conflict. Here we need impartiality rather than false parity equalizing Nagorno-Karabakh's democracy with Azerbaijan's dictatorship," Rochebloine said.
In their last statement the OSCE Minsk Group expressed their serious concern about reported incursions across the Line of Contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, resulting in casualties.
"The rise in violence that began last year must stop for confidence to be restored and progress to be made in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. We called on Azerbaijan to observe its commitments to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We also call on Armenia to take all measures to reduce tensions. All sides must abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement. Violence undermines efforts to bring about peace," the co-chairs said.