BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. I highly commend President Ilham Aliyev’s determination and leadership in advancing and implementing the peace agenda with Armenia, the French Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Sophie Lagoutte, said at an event organized by the French Embassy in Baku to mark the national holiday of the French Republic, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
“First and foremost, Azerbaijan has impressively managed to put Baku on the world map. The country has clearly established itself as one of the leading organizers of major international events, whether it be the Grand Prix, the World Cities Forum, the World Telecommunication Development Conference, Baku Energy Week, or the Baku Security Forum, to name just a few. For each of these events, I was pleased to welcome high-level French delegations here, eager to contribute to multilateral discussions on solving global challenges through cooperation and dialogue. I thank the Azerbaijani authorities for creating the right conditions for hosting such important diplomatic forums,” she said.
Lagoutte noted that she is impressed by the speed at which the regional reality is changing.
"I highly commend the determination and leadership demonstrated by President Ilham Aliyev and all Azerbaijani officials in advancing and implementing the peace agenda with Armenia. Very significant concrete steps have been taken to make the benefits of peace tangible and visible. I have also personally witnessed the large-scale efforts and investments that Azerbaijan is directing toward the liberated territories. Karabakh is developing — I even know that the dairy cooperative in Lachin received training from French cheesemakers to create delicious local products! This newly restored neighborly relationship with Armenia, after three decades of suffering and grief, opens up new opportunities in both the interpersonal and economic spheres. France stands ready to support you in ensuring a lasting and irreversible peace and to help the people of Azerbaijan fully reap the benefits of a fully open South Caucasus,” she added.
