We insist that Nagorno-Karabakh must gain independence: French Senator

Nagorno-Karabakh has been reduced to 2,860 square kilometers, which is a quarter of the territory. It is now necessary to resume negotiations within the framework of the Minsk Group, said French Senator Gilbert Luquin Devine, the president of the Armenia-France Friendship Group, in an interview with Kommersant.

“Unfortunately, a historical injustice was allowed to occur when, between 1920 and 1936, Karabakh was absorbed into the Azerbaijan SSR. We know that Armenia has repeatedly attempted to reclaim that territory as part of its republic,” he noted.

When asked whether it was possible to create an independent state in Nagorno-Karabakh, the senator stated: “That is precisely what we are insisting on. Turkey’s ambitions are causing serious concerns. France has special ties with Armenia, and it was very alarming for us when Turkish President Erdoğan announced that he wanted to complete the work started by his ancestors. We all remember very well the Armenian Genocide. For us, the refugees who survived the genocide were people who enriched France with their knowledge and skills.”

“Just a year and a half ago, when we received a delegation of Armenian parliamentarians, we heard from them their concerns about Aliyev’s and Erdoğan’s positions, and their worries about potential aggression from them. However, at that time, that anxiety seemed exaggerated, and today we see that this is not the case,” he added.

According to him, Turkey has not given up on its aspirations to become part of the European community. “Erdoğan’s policy is approaching the horrors of 1915 even more. Turkey has decided to expand its sphere of influence and maintain its position as a dominant power in the region, seeking to restore the empire. This year, when everyone was shocked by the pandemic, the Turkish president decided to launch a massive attack, which is obviously driven by the economic crisis in his country.”

He pointed out that on November 9, “we all saw that it was not the Minsk format that regulated the situation, but rather Russia.” “Our priority now is to help the civilian population who were forced to leave their homes, which could number up to 90,000. There are many associations and foundations in France that will be involved in this work.”