We Do Not Understand the Criticism from the President of Azerbaijan: President of the French National Assembly

The goal of France is to act in favor of the peace establishment process in the South Caucasus, to unite the international community for the sake of a peaceful settlement that must include respect for Armenia's territorial integrity, as well as the preservation of the rights and security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Furthermore, France emphasizes the implementation of actions that will lead to peace, particularly the opening of the Lacin corridor and the release of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan.

This was stated by Yaël Braun-Pivet, the President of the French National Assembly, in an interview with Armenpress, during her recent visit to Yerevan at the head of a delegation.

“Ms. Yaël Braun-Pivet, as you mentioned in your tweet, you came to Armenia to reaffirm the support of the French National Assembly. These are difficult times for the Armenian people; Azerbaijan continues to blockade Artsakh, the only road connecting it to Armenia and the world, which has resulted in serious humanitarian issues. What role can France play in forcing Azerbaijan to open the corridor? What should the international community's response be? And how do you view the criticisms directed at France by Azerbaijan's President Aliyev?”

“I have come here with a parliamentary delegation to reaffirm our solidarity and brotherhood with Armenia and the Armenian people after the resolution we adopted last November. France has strongly condemned the blockade of the Lacin corridor and the violations of Armenia's territorial integrity. French President Emmanuel Macron has initiated discussions on this situation regarding Armenia twice during meetings of the UN Security Council. Following a quadrilateral meeting initiated by him in Prague last October, some agreements were reached. This means that France's efforts are not limited solely to our stated solidarity but also comprise very concrete actions at the highest international levels aimed at restoring peace in this region.

One outcome of this meeting on October 6 in Prague was the deployment of an EU observation group along the Armenian border, which helped to ease tensions. I believe we must continue our efforts in this direction with the European Union. In this context, we do not understand the criticism from Azerbaijani President Aliyev, because France has always sought to act in favor of the peace establishment process, for the stabilization of the situation in the South Caucasus, making the South Caucasus a stable region. We believe that Azerbaijan also shares this goal of establishing peace, and therefore, actions must be taken to bring about this peace, particularly to open the Lacin corridor and release the prisoners of war still held in Azerbaijan. We are always ready to discuss with all parties, as we believe that only peace can secure lasting stability in the region.”

The French National Assembly adopted a resolution at the end of last year supporting Armenia and proposing sanctions against Azerbaijan. However, later, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the text of the adopted resolution does not reflect the official position of the government. In this context, what strength does the adopted resolution hold? What practical steps can we expect from the French government to force Azerbaijan, for instance, to withdraw from Armenia's sovereign territory and release all Armenian prisoners of war?

“Indeed, the position of the National Assembly is an independent stance. It reflects the deputies' position. And even if it is adopted unanimously, it is not binding for the government. The government can have its views and may not fully share everything stated in the resolution. Naturally, our and the government's objectives are the same, even if the means may differ. We primarily continue to engage in dialogue with the government to reach joint agreement, but the objectives remain the same, namely to achieve peace in the region through the means we have at our disposal, considering our position and role. As you know, France operates on very different platforms, whether they are bilateral or multilateral relationships in European platforms. The goal is to unite the international community for the sake of a peaceful resolution of this issue. And that resolution must, of course, include respect for Armenia's territorial integrity, as well as the preservation of the rights and security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

“Let's also talk about Armenian-French relations. In your opinion, in which sectors are the two countries cooperating most successfully, and where is there potential to expand and deepen cooperation?”

“Cooperations are diverse, making it difficult to classify them and establish a specific hierarchy. On one hand, there is economic cooperation, which received a serious boost, particularly during the large economic forum entitled “Aspirations: Armenia-France” held in Paris in March 2022. By the way, the French Development Agency will soon have an office in Armenia. There is also strong cooperation in the educational sector, especially promoting the development of Francophonie, our ties with the French University in Armenia, as well as the upcoming opening of the French Institute of Armenia. Cooperation exists in the healthcare sector. Tomorrow (01.14.2023) we will meet with several NGOs working in the humanitarian sector, providing assistance to those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh and affected by the situation. It is crucial for us to learn more deeply about this situation. Finally, we signed an inter-parliamentary cooperation agreement with the President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonyan. I believe it is essential for parliamentary diplomacy to be fully functional and yield results.”

“Ms. Braun-Pivet, would you like to add anything?”

“I was very pleased to discover your country. I regret that I cannot stay longer. I hope to have more opportunities to return and that the next time I visit, peace will already have been established for everyone.”