President Emmanuel Macron of France pledged his country’s unconditional support to Armenia during a meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Thursday.
The French President also reaffirmed his readiness for consistent development of France-Armenia bilateral relations, according to a statement from Pashinyan’s press office.
The two leaders also discussed issues related to Armenia-France relations and pledged to take consistent steps to implement the development and strengthening of allied relation.
Pashinyan, according to the statement, referred to the results of the discussions on the draft peace treaty with Azerbaijan, noting that 80 percent of the points of the draft have been agreed upon and Armenia is ready to sign the treaty based on it and continue further discussions. He emphasized the steps aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the region, expressing his belief that the signing of the agreement will contribute to the solution of this issue.
Reference was also made during the meeting to issues faced by the forcibly displaced population of Artsakh and the programs that are in place by the Armenian government. The two leaders also emphasized the consistent support of the international community in addressing and solving the existing problems.
Pashinyan’s meeting with Macron comes a week after the French president’s remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, where Macron said France “stands firmly” with Armenia “in the face of pressure from Azerbaijan.” The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry denounced the remark, saying that Paris must end its “unconstructive actions in our region” and stop “heavily arming” Armenia.
While in France, Pashinyan also met with the newly-appointed Prime Minister of France, Michel Bariner, at the Hôtel Matignon.
Barnier told Pashinyan that he holds a special affinity toward Armenia and the Armenian people and is ready to contribute to the continuous strengthening of bilateral relations in the future. He fondly remembered the opening of the French Embassy in Armenia in 1995 with his participation.
Pashinyan noted that one of the priorities of the Armenian government is the development and diversification of the Armenian economy, adding that he attaches great importance to the presence of French companies in Armenia. The prime minister added that Armenia anticipates the participation of French companies and investors, particularly in the implementation of projects in the fields of infrastructure, nuclear and renewable energy, agriculture and water management.
