YEREVAN. – Armenian National Assembly (NA) Vice-Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov on Thursday received a French parliamentary delegation led by Alain Néri, who is also Head of the French Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Welcoming the French counterparts’ visits to Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR), the NA deputy chair noted with satisfaction that relations between the two countries are at high level and they continue to dynamically develop, which particularly is also conditioned by the fact that France is one of the three Co-Chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with resolution of the Karabakh conflict, which is of great importance for Armenia.

In the course of the meeting, the interlocutors also touched upon the matter of the settlement of this conflict.

Referring to the French socialists’ visit paid to Armenia several days ago, Sharmazanov highlighted the statements, according to which the Karabakh conflict should be resolved solely in a peaceful way, and NKR should be involved as a negotiating side in the Karabakh peace talks.

The NA vice speaker also noted that the French deputies’ visit to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic makes the voice of the Artsakh people—who fight for the recognition of their freedom, justice, and right to self-determination—be heard in Europe.

Thanking for the warm reception, Alain Néri noted that their visit to the NKR should be observed in terms of human and peoples’ rights, and protection of the right of the nations’ self-determination, which they highlight as an OSCE Parliamentary Assembly member country.