Emmanuel Macron met on Friday October 2 with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pachinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev whom he again called to declare a ceasefire in Nagorny Karabakh, the Elysee said.
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While the fighting intensified on Friday, the French president "
reiterated the calls for a ceasefire and proposed to initiate a process and a methodology allowing for a resumption of negotiations within the framework of the Minsk group.
», Specified the presidency.
"
The work begins tonight,
" she said.
France is co-chair, with the United States and Russia, of the Minsk group responsible for mediating this conflict.
In his exchanges, Emmanuel Macron also "
mentioned the case of the two journalists from Le Monde injured in a bombardment
" and repatriated to Yerevan on Friday, the presidency said.
Earlier in the day, the head of diplomacy Jean-Yves Le Drian had warned Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, and Armenia against an "
internationalization of the conflict
" and against the risk of an "
escalation out of of control
”.
Fighting resumed last Sunday in Nagorny Karabakh, mostly populated by Armenians.
The region seceded from Azerbaijan, leading to a war in the early 1990s that left 30,000 dead.
The front had been almost frozen since then, despite regular clashes, especially in 2016. Emmanuel Macron had already spoken with Pachinian and Aliev last Sunday.