The Embassy of Armenia in France has presented the resolution that the Regional Council of Occitanie adopted in support of the Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) during its plenary session held on December 17, 2020.

In this resolution, the Regional Council of Occitanie provides a historical background of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and presents the war that Azerbaijan unleashed against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia on the morning of September 27, 2020.

The Regional Council also states that the shelling of civilians, the clear desire to wipe the population from this territory, the attack against Armenia within its internationally recognized boundaries, the belligerent influence of neighboring Turkey and the risks of expansion of the conflict in the unstable region contradict the course of peaceful settlement adopted by the OSCE Minsk Group operating under Co-Chairmanship of France, Russia and the United States.

The resolution also states that the war led to the signing of an agreement under the auspices of Russia on November 10 that envisages concession of a part of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and annexation to Azerbaijan.

The Regional Council adds that in order for Occitanie to provide support to the population of Nagorno-Karabakh through cooperation and funding, the French government needs to lift the ban on local self-government bodies and take actions for recognition of the Republic of Artsakh.