French foreign minister, OSCE chief discuss Ukraine war, Caucasus peace efforts, Balkan tensions
Meeting addresses key regional issues, 'particularly Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and tensions in the Western Balkans,' according to Foreign Ministry

By Necva Tastan Sevinc
ISTANBUL (AA) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday met with Feridun Sinirlioglu, secretary general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to discuss key regional security challenges and reaffirm Paris’ support for the organization.
During the meeting in Paris, Barrot reaffirmed France’s commitment to multilateralism and the founding principles of the OSCE, "enshrined fifty years ago in the Helsinki Act, but violated daily by Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine," according to the statement from the French Foreign Ministry.
He also praised the efforts of the Finnish Chairmanship-in-Office and the secretary general "to maintain the smooth functioning of the organization despite the many challenges it faces."
The meeting addressed key regional issues, "particularly Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and tensions in the Western Balkans," the statement added.
Barrot emphasized the importance of the OSCE "in strengthening the security framework in Europe in all its dimensions, from crisis prevention to respect for human rights and the preservation of the rule of law."