A functioning state is distinguished from a failed state by many characteristics. One of them, and by no means the least important, is a clear position. We cannot say for certain whether the French Ambassador to Armenia, Olivier Decottignies, is aware of this. But recently, this self-proclaimed heir of Talleyrand gave an interview to Armenia’s Public Television. And—what a surprise!—he actually managed to say that, first of all, Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan, as recognized by both the international community and Armenia itself.
Moreover, he stated that Armenia had already acknowledged this in the Almaty Declaration, since Karabakh was a region of Soviet Azerbaijan. Decottignies emphasized that claims suggesting Karabakh was recognized as part of Azerbaijan only in Prague in 2022 are incorrect, as this fact was established back in Almaty, with the Prague statement merely referencing it.
Commendable, of course. And we won’t even ask how to interpret the fact that after recognizing Azerbaijan’s borders in Almaty in 1991, Armenia continued its policy of “miatsum” until it was struck down by the “Iron Fist.” But first of all, how should we understand the cheap attacks by Mr. Decottignies, who, as Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry pointed out, in the same interview attempted to cast doubt on Azerbaijan’s legitimate and legal measures to de-occupy its own territory? In Paris’s view, Karabakh is considered Azerbaijan’s territory, yet Armenia should still control it because it is France’s “little sister”? Is this how Paris interprets international law? Or is this a revelation discovered personally by Decottignies?
Secondly, it is unclear what “response” Azerbaijan is expected to give regarding Armenia’s occupation of four villages in the Gazakh region, as the French diplomat suggests. Azerbaijan does not occupy a single meter of Armenian territory. So what response is Paris waiting for? That we should just hand over the entire former NKAO (Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast) and the Kalbajar region to Armenia as a gift?
And finally, the most important question. If Paris has always considered Karabakh to be Azerbaijani territory, then how can one explain the hysteria of French politicians in support of the occupational-separatist junta in Khankendi? What was Valérie Pécresse doing there, for example? What about Michel Barnier, who was France’s future prime minister at the time? How did the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, allow herself to be photographed in front of trucks with banners saying “aid for the Artsakh brothers,” while Azerbaijan had opened the Aghdam road for the delivery of humanitarian assistance?
And most importantly—why, not even once—NOT EVEN ONCE!—has the French Foreign Ministry deemed it necessary to distance itself from these actions and remind everyone that Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan, and that recognized borders must be respected? In short, this is one of those moments when one feels ashamed for the state…
