Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia had a working lunch Wednesday with Secretary General Louise Mushikiwabo of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), the premier’s office informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The PM welcomed Mushikiwabo's visit to Armenia, and stressed the importance of cooperation with OIF for the Armenian government. Pashinyan noted that their bilateral cooperation, especially in recent years, is being actively strengthened, and expressed confidence that joint programs in various domains contribute to the development and deepening of ties between OIF member countries.

Also, Nikol Pashinyan spoke about the forced deportation of more than 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh and the resultant humanitarian situation due to Azerbaijan's policy of Armenian ethnic cleansing in Karabakh, as well as about the measures being taken to overcome the respective problems, including the expected assistance from the international community.

Louise Mushikiwabo, for her part, noted that she arrived in Armenia to express her solidarity with the Armenian people in the conditions of the forced displacement of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

At the ensuing talk, the processes taking place in Armenia’s region, as well as the cooperation between Armenia and the International Organisation of La Francophonie were discussed.