BAKU, Azerbaijan
French president Francois Hollande offered to bring both leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan together to discuss a permanent peace agreement over Nagorno-Karabakh, in a visit to Azerbaijan on Monday.
In a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, Hollande said that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue between Azerbaijan and Armenia needs to be solved in the framework of territorial integrity.
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, a conflict broke out over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
A ceasefire was agreed to at the end of a three-year war between 1991 and 1994 but negotiations have so far failed to produce a permanent peace agreement.
"France struggles to solve the dispute gradually," said Hollande and added that he offered both presidents to come together and discuss the issue again.
Aliyev said despite the UN Security Council's resolutions on ending the occupation, Armenians have not complied.
"We can not allow them to establish a second Armenia in the Azerbaijani territory," added Aliyev.
Meanwhile, Hollande said that France is willing to enhance the relations in several fields and share the experience with Azerbaijan.
Emphasizing the good cooperation between Azerbaijan and EU, Aliyev said that energy projects of Azerbaijan have been supported by EU.
After Azerbaijan, Hollande will visit Armenia and Georgia.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
