If Paris continues to support Armenia, defending the law on "Armenian genocide", the membership of France in the OSCE Minsk Group will not make sense, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with the Turkish ABHaber.
"France can support Armenia, but the continuation of its participation in the OSCE at the same time would not make sense," Mammadyarov said.
The minister said 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory remains occupied by Armenia. If France adopts law on the fictitious "Armenian genocide", a country must consider the question of occupation of Azerbaijani territory, Mammadyarov said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
"Armenians committed genocide in Khojaly and occupied Azerbaijani territories.France worth to consider the crimes of Armenia," Mammadyarov said.
Mammadyarov also noted that the adoption of the law criminalizing denial of the "Armenian genocide" by the Senate of France is unacceptable.
Previously on January 23, after an eight-hour debate, the French senate adopted the bill. Some 127 senators voted in favour, while 86 voted against.
The bill demands a years imprisonment and a fine of €45,000 for denying the so-called "genocide."
Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of the Turkey - Ottoman Empire had committed the 1915 genocide against the Armenians living in Anadolu and have achieved recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" by the parliaments of several countries.
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