French Minister of Foreign Affairs Visits Azerbaijan to Discuss Tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh

France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna is visiting Azerbaijan to meet with the country’s leader Ilham Aliyev to discuss easing tensions with Armenia, Azerbaijan’s arch-foe and neighbor in the Caucasus region.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a territorial conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-majority region of Azerbaijan.

This visit comes as Western nations and Russia, who typically mediate the conflict, accuse Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire that ended the 2020 war with Armenia.

Tensions flared recently with Baku setting up a checkpoint between Armenia and Karabakh. Colonna is scheduled to hold talks with Aliyev and Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov.

France has recently made efforts to mediate the conflict since Russia is currently preoccupied with its Ukraine offensive.

The visit is taking place in a tense context as relations with Baku have been difficult in recent months. Following her visit to Baku, Colonna will travel to Yerevan before going to Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, on Friday. (AFP)