His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians today received the parliamentary delegation of the National Assembly of France at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Information Center of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin reported.

During the meeting, His Holiness expressed his appreciation to the French authorities, namely the French parliamentarians for standing with the Armenian people and supporting them during the war unleashed against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, His Holiness affirmed that unlike Azerbaijan’s belligerent statements and aspiration to settle the conflict by force, Armenia has always expressed the willingness to reach a settlement of the conflict through peaceful negotiations. He also emphasized that Azerbaijan’s policy to empty Artsakh of Armenians and the country’s atrocities and destruction go to show that Artsakh can never be a part of Azerbaijan with any status. In this regard, the Catholicos of All Armenians voiced hope that the international community and the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group will fully assess the situation and do everything possible to stop the destruction and protect the right of the people of Artsakh to live freely and independently and to self-determination.

In response to the deputies’ questions, His Holiness provided information about the targeting of shrines by the Azerbaijani forces and the steps that the Armenian Church has taken to call the international community’s attention to the current situation in Artsakh. His Holiness also shed light on the efforts that the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church has been making to reestablish peace starting from the first days of the war.