French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, during a joint press conference in Yerevan with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, stated that France and Armenia already share a strategic relationship due to their broad-based cooperation. Responding to a question about the possibility of elevating ties to a formal strategic partnership, Barrot emphasized their current strategic nature.

“With my colleague Ararat, we are planning to develop a strategic partnership that will formally recognize our existing relationship, including in the field of defense,” the French minister said, as reported by Aysor.am .

Ararat Mirzoyan echoed the sentiment, affirming the direction of Armenian-French cooperation.

“As already mentioned, we will work to ensure that our deep cooperation is also properly reflected and labeled in formal documents,” he stated, according to RFE/RL..

Barrot also announced that France plans to open a consular agency in Goris.

The Armenian and French foreign ministers, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jean-Noël Barrot, signed a Declaration of Intent, which Mirzoyan confirmed during their joint press conference.

Earlier, Yerevan and Paris signed an agreement for the purchase of CAESAR howitzers. Additionally, the Armenian Ministry of Defense and the French defense company KNDS concluded a defense-industrial cooperation agreement.