Envoy: France's new co-chair to Minsk Group is experienced diplomat
By Rashid Shirinov
France's Ambassador to Baku Aurelia Bouchez said that the change of the French co-chair for the OSCE Mink Group is not associated with specific causes.
Bouchez told Trend that the mandate of French co-chair Pierre Andrieu ended and the new co-chair, Stephane Visconti, was proposed for this position.
“Visconti is an experienced diplomat. France proposes only experienced diplomats to represent the country in the Minsk Group,” Bouchez said, adding that the new co-chair has already started his work.
Pierre Andrieu has held the position since June 2014.
The newly appointed co-chair Stephane Visconti assumed the office on November 3. He earlier worked as French Ambassador to Latvia.
The OSCE Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, works to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for over two decades, but in vain.
Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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