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France has expressed deep concern over Tuesday's deadly clashes on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Armenian troops came under Azerbaijani fire while conducting engineering work near Tegh, a border village in southeastern Syunik Province, late in the afternoon. The Azeri attack left four Armenian soldiers dead and six others wounded.

“France expresses its deep concern over the border clashes on April 11 between Armenia and Azerbaijan near the village of Tegh, in Armenian territory, which left seven people dead and several injured on both sides,” the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We reiterate that the delineation of the border must be achieved exclusively through negotiations, and we urge the parties to continue their efforts to that end. Armenia’s territorial integrity must be respected and Azerbaijani forces occupying positions on the Armenian side of the line of contact must withdraw in order to prevent future incidents and preserve the foundations of a lasting peace in the region.

“France fully supports the efforts by EUMA, the EU observer mission in Armenia deployed on the Armenian side of the border, to which we contribute, and which plays a central role in lowering tensions. We will continue to work alongside the EU to ensure respect for the ceasefire, dialogue, and the continuation of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” reads the statement.