Villages Isolated, Azerbaijani Flags Visible: French Official Meets with Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Laurent Wauquiez, the President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council of France, and his delegation, which is on a two-day visit to the Syunik region.

In his welcoming speech, the Prime Minister noted: "Dear Mr. Wauquiez, I welcome you to the Republic of Armenia and am pleased to meet you again. We are also pleased to note that relations between Armenia and France have a high dynamic not only at the highest political level but also in the framework of decentralized cooperation. Of course, we are in a very complex period, and our country and the region are going through very difficult times. In this regard, such visits are also very important moral strength and support, including political. I want to emphasize the importance of your visit to the beginning of the Lachin Corridor and the Syunik region and, of course, your messages regarding our existing situations. There is also an idea to hold the next conference on decentralized cooperation in the Syunik region, and I hope that you will support this idea. I would like to hear your impressions of the visit as well. I hope you have noticed that despite all the problems, we are making serious investment programs in the Republic, including in the Syunik region. Large-scale construction works are being carried out – roads, schools, kindergartens, and other infrastructures, because our approach is that regardless of all the challenges, we should not deviate from the development agenda of Armenia even for a minute. Recently, the launch of the EU’s investment and economic program implementation was also initiated in the Syunik region, which is extremely important. We also hope that the presence of the European Union's civilian mission along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border will become an additional factor of stability and security. Once again, I welcome you."

Laurent Wauquiez, for his part, stated: "Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister. This is our second meeting, and I have the utmost respect for everything you are doing for Armenia during this very difficult period. Last time, your strength and will to move forward with very concrete programs impressed me greatly. In regard to your question about my impressions from this visit, I want to say that it was very important for us to go to Syunik and be the first French local authority to establish cooperation with the region, as we understand very well how crucial Syunik is for the territorial integrity of Armenia. Three things have impressed me greatly. The first is that you must see with your own eyes to understand the entire weight and brutality: the villages that are isolated, the roads that are cut off, sometimes the Azerbaijani flags visible just a few hundred or dozens of meters away. The second is the enormous investments that you are making, the work that you continue to do – the roads, the construction works, the towering cranes that can be seen everywhere. I believe this is a very important sign of hope. And the third is the spirit of unity and cohesiveness that we witnessed. The Governor of Syunik has done a significant job, and the seven community leaders were present together, united at the Tatev Monastery when we signed the Cooperation Agreement. We see that difficulties also bring people together."

The parties emphasized the importance of the international community's consistent efforts toward stability and peace in the region. They also discussed the prospects for developing multifaceted cooperation and expanding trade and economic ties. In this regard, the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between Syunik and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region on March 29 was highlighted. There was a discussion of the possibilities for joint projects in agriculture, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and renewable energy. The Prime Minister noted that the Government of the Republic of Armenia is consistently continuing its policy of territorial balanced development, and in this regard, strengthening decentralized cooperation with France and exchanging experiences between regions is of great importance. Nikol Pashinyan referred to the reform agenda of the Government of Armenia and the measures being implemented to improve the investment environment. Laurent Wauquiez thanked for the information, noting that French companies are interested in operating in Armenia. Ideas were exchanged regarding cooperation in higher education as well. In this context, the Prime Minister spoke about the plans for the construction of an Academic City.