YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. President of France Francois Hollande received the Primate of the French Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Vahan Hovhannessian and his political advisor Artur Khanjyan at the Élysée Palace. During the meeting that lasted over an hour, Vahan Hovhannessian first thanked the President for the reception, then introduced the activities of the French Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and raised issues of concern of French-Armenians.

“Armenpress” reports, citing Nouvelles d`Armenie, the bishop told Hollande about the expectations of local Armenians about adopting the law criminalizing the Armenian Genocide, and added that Armenians are looking forward to the adoption of that law.

Vahan Hovhannessian also conveyed to President Hollande the concerns of French Armenians over the military operations of April unleashed by Azerbaijan and supported by Turkey. Bishop Hovhannessian asked Hollande, as the President of OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair country and UNSC member state, to demand Azerbaijan to respect the ceasefire regime and force Azerbaijan to recognize the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to live in their historical lands.