President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received French Ambassador Anne Bouillon, the Azerbaijani media reported, citing the Aliyev administration.

Aliyev tried to assure the ambassador that there is no blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"In recent times, Armenia has been making groundless claims about the alleged closure of the Lachin-Khankendi [(i.e., Stepanakert)] road on the territory of Azerbaijan. These accusations are absolute lies and absurd," Aliyev said, adding that "the aforementioned road ensures the transportation of civilian goods and civilians along the lines of the Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross.”

According to him, since December 12, "the traffic of around 1,000 vehicles has been ensured on that road in both directions".

"Also, Aliyev emphasized the cessation of illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in the Azerbaijani territories where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, and the provision of permanent monitoring of these deposits by Azerbaijan," the Azerbaijani mass media added.