French Prime Minister’s interference in regional affairs: Yerevan’s awkward predicament

MOSCOW-Disregard for the sovereignty of the nations it conquered and colonialism are ingrained in the French administration. Regretfully, official Paris, accustomed to such behavior, is still attempting to act similarly with Azerbaijan despite having gone too far. Remember how difficult it was for France, as the head of the OSCE’s Minsk Group, to maintain continual control over the seized areas of Armenia using a variety of false pretenses and covert financial means? Macron’s administration, which ignores the current circumstances, is still in power despite the global landscape shifting and, most significantly, Armenia’s stance toward Azerbaijan.

French PM’s meddling

With a sizable Armenian diaspora, France has always supported Armenia. As an illustration, it is important to remember the backing of French authorities. In this regard, the so-called “Armenian genocide” statute was enacted by French President Jacques Chirac in 2001. Regarding the accusations of genocide, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged Turkey to “face its history” in 2011. On the 100th anniversary of the alleged massacre, French President François Hollande said in 2015 that he “expected a new gesture” from Turkey. France’s long-standing support for Armenia is shown in the South Caucasus conflicts. October 3, 2023, was the final instance of this support’s demonstration. 

Actually, according to French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Armenia’s defense needs are being looked into.  During her visit to Yerevan on the same day, France’s Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, declared that her country will back Armenia with arms and ammunition. In response to this choice, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan issued a warning to the European Union and declared that France would bear responsibility in the event that there was another confrontation in the area.

The impact on Yerevan

In light of all of these events, President Aliyev declared that Baku would withdraw from the discussions following Turkey’s attendance in the October 5, 2023, conference in Granada, where the peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan were scheduled to take place. Baku considered the news that Paris will arm and munitions Yerevan as a “provocative act that fuels the war.” 

Macron, on the other hand, blamed the opposition by claiming that Baku has an issue with international law and that he has no issues with Azerbaijan, while maintaining that his nation’s stance toward Yerevan is just and unbiased. French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne advocated for “the creation of a real European plan by declaring her support for strengthening cooperation with Yerevan in order to protect the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of Armenia’s borders” in a speech to the French Senate on October 11, 2023. The relationship between France and Azerbaijan completely deteriorated after this comment. 

Diplomatic strain

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, called Armenia’s action “inappropriate for bilateral relations.” It is hardly coincidental that French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on the same day that help for weaponry and ammunition will be given. Armenia keeps moving away from Russia even as support from the West increases. In this instance, one could argue that Paris views the strained ties between Moscow and Yerevan as a chance to re-establish itself as a player in the South Caucasus. 

France should be impartial, but it is assisting Armenia militarily and providing armaments in an attempt to act as a mediator. President Ilhan Aliyev of Azerbaijan declined to join the peace negotiations on October 5, 2023, citing remarks made by French authorities endorsing Armenia. President Aliyev did not feel the necessity to address regional issues with nations outside the area and did not keep quiet about France’s pro-Armenian posture. President Aliyev did not attend the meeting where Turkey’s participation was rejected.

Regional dynamics

A Russian political expert claims that Armenia’s prime minister’s remarks that Yerevan is “freezing” cooperation with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a military bloc led by Russia, are the consequence of recent agreements with France and the start of a shift toward several Western countries for military cooperation. Igor Korotchenko, the director general of the Caspian Institute for Strategic Studies in Moscow, told Anadolu that Nikol Pashinyan had spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month about the possibility of the post-Soviet nation exiting the CSTO. First and foremost, the French prime minister would probably be better off attending to domestic issues such as the nation’s collapsing economy, widespread racism and crime, and social unrest.

Boycotting the Paris Olympics 2024 due to racism in France signifies global opposition to France’s historical and contemporary discriminatory practices. The French Prime Minister’s intervention in regional conflicts, particularly favoring Armenia over Azerbaijan, exacerbates tensions. It’s imperative for France to address internal issues like racism, economic instability, and social unrest instead of exacerbating international conflicts.

Conclusion

In conclusion,  It is important for France to remember that a rope-hanging authority has no power inside the nation or in the lands it has conquered. The only option left to Macron’s administration, which has enough people against it already, is to reach out through Armenia to the South Caucasus.