Towards a Franco-Armenian Strategic Partnership?

Abstract

On the evening of March 20, the Coordinating Council of Armenian Associations in France (CCAF) held its traditional annual dinner for the ninth consecutive year in a Paris neighborhood. This dinner took place in a thoughtful atmosphere, given the seriousness of the broader geopolitical context and the gravity of the threat to Armenia following the fall of Artsakh and the subsequent ethnic cleansing. The question remains: What concrete actions can France take for deterrence and sanctions against Azerbaijan?

The ethnic cleansing in Artsakh significantly influenced French political figures from all sides, including extreme left to extreme right, increasing their number from the previous year. Present at the dinner were notable figures such as presidential candidate Jean Luc Mélenchon, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Séjourné, Housing Guillaume Kasbarian, including government spokesperson Patricia Mirallès. Former President François Hollande, mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Marseille Benoit Payan, as well as numerous senior political leaders, intellectuals and journalists.

The famous writer Sylvain Tesson and journalist Jean Christophe Buisson, both prominent figures in the French Armenophile movement, shared their experiences from their recent trip to Armenia with the 300 guests. Deeply moved by their encounters with refugee families from Artsakh, they emphasized the responsibility to protect Armenia and remember the Armenian people, which they view as a fate worse than death. Tesson said, “While a European leader says ‘never again’, a Turkish leader says ‘let’s start again’ and an Armenian says ‘here they go again’ (…) We cannot be at the Tatev monastery one day and at the Chamber of Commerce of Baku the next.”

Read full article here.