France will open a consulate in the southern Armenian province of Syunik, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told the country’s parliament when asked what France was doing to protect the Armenians, Sputnik Armenia reports.

“We have deepened cooperation with Armenia in the defense sector. There will be a military attaché at the French Embassy. We will soon open a consular center in the border province of Syunik,” Colonna said.

She also noted that France has repeatedly spoken out in support of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, including convening a meeting of the UN Security Council, and recalled the financial support that Paris will provide to Yerevan for the forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Earlier it was reported France’s intends to provide Armenia with €7 million to solve the social problems of internally displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh. In addition, Paris will send equipment to provide emergency medical care to the wounded.

For nine months, Azerbaijan laid siege to Nagorno Karabakh, by blocking the only road that linked the territory to the Republic of Armenia. On September 19, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh, which left hundreds of Armenians killed and thousands of others displaced. On September 20, the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to a ceasefire on Azerbaijan’s terms, including the dissolution of the Defense Army. So far, 47,715 displaced residents have already fled Nagorno-Karabakh and reached Armenia.