Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan’s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva met French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace during her visit to the country on September 3.

The sides expressed satisfaction with the successful development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

President Hollande thanked the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for her contributions to the cultural events organized in Paris.

Noting the great potential of bilateral relations between the two countries, Francois Hollande said that France and Azerbaijan have developed successful relations in the economic, energy, information and communication technology, the aerospace, and agricultural fields.

Hailing France's interest in expanding ties with Azerbaijan, the president expressed his confidence in the further successful development of relations.

Mehriban Aliyeva, in turn, stressed that Azerbaijani-French relations are on the level of strategic partnership, adding that the deepening of relations is an important aspect in the country's foreign policy.

Noting that a number of projects have been implemented in recent years for better promoting Azerbaijan in France, Aliyeva said that the September 3rd opening ceremony of the “Azerbaijani town” in Paris is just one event in a series of cultural exchanges.

The First Lady said that such cultural projects have already taken place in France's 25 regions, adding that more than 10 Azerbaijani and French cities have already established relations of friendship and brotherhood.

The Azerbaijani town in the Heart of Paris was opened on Palais Royal Square, displaying the country’s history, culture, folk art, traditions, and national cuisine in France for the second time.

Touching upon France's role as a co-chair of OSCE Minsk group in solving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mehriban Aliyeva expressed her hope that France would continue its role on the resolution of the dispute within the framework of international law ensuring the territorial integrity of the country.

Expressing his country's position in the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, President Hollande said that France is deeply interested in resolving the conflict.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor and causing a brutal war in the early 1990s.

Long-standing efforts by U.S, Russian, and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

Later, Mehriban Aliyeva has met Mayor of the 1st arrondissement of Paris Jean-François Legaret.

The sides praised the development of the bilateral relations between the two countries in recent years, and highlighted the importance of cultural events held in Paris to promote Azerbaijan.

Legaret said the French highly appreciate the cultural events organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Paris.

They exchanged views on prospects for future relations.

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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar

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