France has condemned today’s Azerbaijani military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the use of heavy weapons against civilian targets.

Here’s a translation of a statement issued by the French foreign affairs ministry.

France condemns in the strongest terms the launch by Azerbaijan of a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, with the use of heavy weapons, including against inhabited areas. No pretext can justify such unilateral action, which threatens thousands of civilians already affected by months of illegal blockade and goes against the efforts of the international community to reach a negotiated settlement.

France calls on Azerbaijan to immediately cease its offensive and return to respect for international law.

It will hold Azerbaijan solely responsible for the fate of the civilian populations of Nagorno-Karabakh.

France requests the emergency convening of a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. It is working closely with its European and American partners so that a strong response is provided to this unacceptable offensive, commensurate with the risks it poses to the security of the region.