France says stood by Armenians during 9 months of Karabakh blockade

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ambassador of France to Armenia Olivier Decottignies has said that Paris stood by the Armenian people in 9 months of the Nagorno-Karabakh blockade, as well as after that.

On October 31, Decottignies was hosted by the Deputy Chair of the Armenian parliament’s Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Rustam Bakoyan, as well as lawmakers Artur Hovhannisyan and Lilit Stepanyan.

During the meeting in Yerevan, Bakoyan expressed his gratitude to the French side for continuously supporting and backing Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Our two countries have long-term multipolar strong and special relations. Its vivid evidence is the signing of the letter of intentions on supplying French armaments in the anti-air defence,” Bakoyan said.

At the meeting, issues of the security challenges of Armenia, the ethnic cleansing and forcible displacement of the population committed in Nagorno Karabakh by Azerbaijan were discussed.

Touching upon the ethnic cleansing and the forcible displacement of the Armenian population in Nagorno Karabakh, it was noted that it happened the in the deployment zone of the RF peacekeeping troops, and what happened was the consequence of the non-fulfilment of trilateral treaty.

The Ambassador reaffirmed the viewpoint of the friendly country and stressed that the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh was displaced because of use of force. “The forcible displacement of the Nagorno Karabakh population took place after 9-month siege. It is important to take into consideration the fact that Azerbaijan took this step with the complicity of the Russian Federation and with the support and backing of Turkey,” the Ambassador said.

In this context the Armenian parliamentarians highlighted the imposing of sanctions on Azerbaijan.

The participants of the meeting raised the issue of providing long-term support to the Armenian population displaced from Nagorno Karabakh and stressed that in that issue the Republic of Armenia needs the international partners’ support.

The Ambassador noted that France was next to the Armenian people in 9 months of the Nagorno Karabakh blockade, as well as after that.

The deputy Artur Hovhannisyan presented the Project Crossroads of Peace and asked the international partners’ support in implementing it. The parliamentarian Lilit Stepanyan drew the attendees’ attention to the fact that after September 19 there was need to ensure the return and security of the Nagorno Karabakh population. She called on the international partners to voice targeted appeals.

The sides also discussed Armenia-France relationship, the integration of the forcibly displaced people from Nagorno Karabakh and issues on the EU Observation Mission.

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. On September 18, President of the Republic of Artsakh Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree, according to which the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) will cease to exist by January 1, 2024. Over 100,000 displaced residents have already fled Nagorno-Karabakh and reached Armenia.