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"The statement by the France-Artsakh Friendship Circle attests that Azerbaijan's attempts to impose on France its dubious standards are unacceptable for the French society and run counter to democratic norms," Press Secretary to the Artsakh Republic foreign ministry Ani Sargsyan told Panorama.am when asked to comment on the statement by the France-Artsakh Friendship Circle condemning Azerbaijan's call on the Government of France to prevent the entry of Artsakh citizens into the country.

Sargsyan stressed that Azerbaijani policy of isolation of Artsakh obviously has an opposite effect.

"Suffice it to note, that in two of the three co-chairing states of the OSCE Minsk Group in France and USA, representatives of the political circles have called on their Governments to establish direct contacts with the authorities of Artsakh.
We are convinced that the conflict cannot serve as a pretext for refusing to establish direct ties with the authorities of Artsakh. On the contrary, the involvement of Artsakh in international processes will give a new impetus to the settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Karabakh," added the foreign ministry official.

To remind, on January 17 during a visit to France Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov called on the French authorities to prohibit the entry of as he labelled "Karabakh separatists" into France.

In response, the France Artsakh Friendship Circle issued a statement on Tuesday calling on the French authorities to establish open, direct and constructive dialogue with democratically elected authorities of the Artsakh Republic.

"The French friends of Artsakh expressed their confidence that nothing can prevent the establishment of ties between France and Artsakh. In this regard, the France-Artsakh Friendship Circle strictly condemns Azerbaijan's attempts to intervene in France's consular activities as well as to exert pressure on France to restrict the right to free movement of Artsakh citizens," the statement read.

Meanwhile, on January 17, U.S. Congressman, Armenian Caucus founding Co-Chair Frank Pallone introduced the   so-called "U.S.-Artsakh Travel and Communication Resolution" calling on his Congressional colleagues to break down artificial barriers to unrestricted travel and open communication between the United States and the Artsakh Republic.

"The United States should be supporting the free flow of dialogue and ideas across the globe. Artsakh has a successful democratic government and it should not be precluded from interacting with the United States and other nations. My visit to Artsakh in September further revealed the enormous strides that Artsakh has made in recent years, and others should be given the same opportunity that I had," said Rep. Pallone.