The officials of France think that they are fishing in troubled waters, but actually, they are playing with fire. It is crystal clear that Paris aims to replete the gaps that emerged following the terrible and humiliating defeat in Africa, with the South Caucasus.
Thus, French President Macron did not sign the decision adopted by the French Parliament to recognise the so-called "artsakh republic" and even in a conversation with an Armenian woman, he underscored that France could not do anything because Garabagh is Azerbaijani territory. Even the Foreign Ministry of France denounced the decision of the French Parliament. However, after the war in Ukraine, all French politicians changed their attitude towards the issue. Suddenly, all of them started to speak about the rights of Armenians. France started arming Armenia.
The last ridiculous deed came from the French Ambassador to Armenia, Olivier Decottignies. The Ambassador shared a post about the Armenian residents of Garabagh and slandered Azerbaijan.
He unfoundedly claims that ostensibly Armenian residents of Garabagh lived under the siege for nine months and then supposedly "Azerbaijan brutally assaulted." It seems that the ambassador lost his memory. It is better to recall that the Azerbaijani state never blockaded anywhere. The members of the NGOs held a meeting on the Lachin-Khankendi road, and the road was open for civil transportation. Even the Azerbaijani Red Crescent Society and the Russian Red Cross Society send humanitarian aid to Armenian residents.
It was the heads of the separatist clique who refused the aid, not the Azerbaijani government. Besides, Armenian civilians, bloggers, and journalists wrote on social networks and media outlets that the separatist clique developed a black market by pretexting the so-called blockade and made good money by selling products in the black markets.
As for 'Azerbaijan's brutal attack', I do not know what he talks about. Azerbaijan has never attacked Armenia or Armenian residents in Garabagh. However, I know barbaric missile attacks from Armenia to the Azerbaijani territories, more precisely, Ganja city, Tartar, and Barda. In addition, the world is aware of French vandalism in Algeria, the Far East, and Africa.
Let the French Ambassador not forget that in museums in Paris, the skulls of people whom French soldiers beheaded are showcased even today. Despite all requests, the French government refuses to hand them back and proudly says they are trophies.
The ambassador's claims about ostensibly forcing Armenian residents to leave Garabagh are as slanderous as previous ones. Azerbaijan has always said that Armenian residents of Garabagh are its citizens. All Armenians who want to get an Azerbaijani passport can stay and live in Garabagh. So, the people who agreed to take Azerbaijani passports are in Garabagh today, and the others left. Thus, nobody forced them to leave. Besides, the Ambassador has never talked about the rights of Azerbaijanis and Kurds, who were forced to leave their hometowns in the 1990s, to return to their hometowns. It reveals once again the hypocritical character of the ambassador and French politicians.
Anyway, it seems we will encounter such double standards further. As mentioned earlier, despite having good relations with Armenia, Paris always tried at least to be neutral prior to the Ukrainian War. As the war started, Paris thought that Russia was engaged in the war in Ukraine and could push Russia out of Armenia. Besides, with the help of Armenia, they could gain power in the South Caucasus.
However, they are unaware that more devastating defeats and humiliations are waiting for them in the South Caucasus. Russia made the same mistake 30 years ago. Moscow thought that by helping Armenia, they would be able to stay in the South Caucasus. After 30 years, Russia’s influence in the region is the least. Armenia does its best to kick Russia out of its territory. The same fate awaits France. We hope Paris will take a lesson from Russia and double check its South Caucasus policy before taking further steps.
