Jerome Lambert protests against French presidential candidate's illegal visit to Khankandi 

The Association of Friends of Azerbaijan in France has protested against the illegal visit of Republican presidential candidate Valérie Pécresse to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan together with French MPs Bruno Retailleau and Michel Barnier, Report informs, citing the State Committee on Work with Diaspora.

A statement signed by Jerome Lambert, the president of the Association, the Vice President of the French-Azerbaijani friendship group in the French Parliament, said that this step by Valérie Pécresse was provocative because international organizations recognize Khankendi as part of Azerbaijan: "Trip to this territory cannot be imagined without the sovereign authorities of Azerbaijan. If Pécresse wants to defend peace, she must begin by rethinking her history lessons. By visiting Karabakh, she violates the sovereignty of Azerbaijan, commits provocations and deprives himself of the right to play any role in peacebuilding."

The statement said that Azerbaijan is a secular country like France: "Therefore, we do not understand why the statements made during this election campaign are aimed to exaggerate a so-called religious threat against Eastern Christians. Christians live in peace in the territory of Azerbaijan, which the Pope has visited several times in recent years."

The Association noted that the Karabakh conflict was a purely territorial conflict between the two countries: "Armenia has occupied almost 20% of Azerbaijan's territory by military means for thirty years, despite the UN Security Council's condemnation. The legal return of these territories after the restoration of the ceasefire last year should be regarded as a victory of international law, as France liberated Alsace-Lorraine from German occupation forces in 1918.

The Association believes that "France and its representatives must demonstrate their impartiality by respecting the basic norms of international law in order to work for lasting peace. Pécresse has deliberately forgotten this factor, and she is far from worthy of the position to assume the responsibility of finding peace."