YEREVAN. – It is hard to include the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict among the “frozen” conflicts, said Jonathan Lacôte, French Ambassador to Armenia, at a press conference on Tuesday.

“I’m surprised by the degree in which the conflict is reflected among the society,” the ambassador also said, and added that many soldiers are dying at the line of contact. 

The French diplomat noted that the Karabakh conflict is a functioning conflict that impacts people and economy. “And that worries us,” he added.

In Ambassador Lacôte’s words, France is determined to carry out its duties as a co-chair country in the OSCE Minsk Group. At the same time, however, the diplomat stressed that this conflict has no military solution.

“France follows the conflict at the highest level,” he added. “France is fully loyal to its co-chair’s commitments within the Minsk Group. But solely the parties [to this conflict] can achieve the settlement of the conflict.”

French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Armenia in October 2018, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia, Jonathan Lacôte‏ said at a press conference on Tuesday.

  President Macron will attend the 17th Summit of La Francophonie in Yerevan.

According to Jonathan Lacôte‏, this will also offer a great opportunity for a bilateral visit to strengthen ties between France and Armenia.

At the same time, the diplomat noted that 2018 will be full of events for Armenia, which will also be important for France.

The ambassador noted that the 100th anniversary of the First Republic, in connection with which the visits of representatives of the French government are planned, 2800th anniversary of Erebuni, the 30th tragic anniversary of the Spitak earthquake are among these events.