Armenian Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Vahan Hunanyan, answering questions posed by the Armenpress news agency, said Armenia is preparing for the December 7 meeting despite Baku’s announced pullout.

Hunanyan denied claims made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that Armenia is trying to scuttle a meeting scheduled for December 7 in Brussels between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council head Charles Michel.

Reuters reports that Aliyev today announced that Azerbaijan did not want France to take part in its peace talks with Armenia Macron had "attacked" and "insulted" Baku.

Aliyev is reported as saying the French leader had adopted an "anti-Azerbaijan position" and was "insulting" Baku.

Aliyev, according to Reuters, accused Pashinyan of trying to undermine the next stage of talks by insisting France must be a broker.