President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s interview with France 2 TV channel

In the interview with the France 2 TV channel, President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan addressed the present situation in Armenia and the region and the issues of forcibly displaced persons following the hostilities unleashed by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The President underscored that as a result of the more than 9-month-long blockade by Azerbaijan and the subsequent use of large-scale military force on September 19-20, over a hundred thousand Armenians were forcibly deported to Armenia within days where their physical existence would not be at risk.

The President also touched upon the initiatives by various international organizations aimed at addressing the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh over the recent months. The President also noted that while the efforts of France and various respected organizations aimed at reaching a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and seeking solutions are highly valued, they were insufficient to unblock the Lachin humanitarian corridor, as well as to restrain Azerbaijan and exclude the use of force.

"Here we need to observe another, broader aspect: it is not only the matter of Nagorno-Karabakh but how we will deal with similar problems in any part of the world, what levers there are to stop such developments, whether we should wait for disasters to happen, and only then just document the presence of victims, deported, dispossessed and forcibly displaced persons. This is a problem that concerns not only Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, but also people living in any part of the world," the President noted.

Referring to the potential military cooperation between Armenia and France, Vahagn Khachaturyan noted that on September 11-12, 2022, Azerbaijan's military aggression against the sovereign territory of Armenia made it clear that the existing security systems are not sufficient for the full defense of the territorial integrity of our country, so Armenia is taking steps to increase the country's defense capability by developing relations with partners, including France, and creating new ties. Concurrently, the President highlighted that cooperation with France and other countries in the military field is not directed against any third country and solely bears a defensive purpose.
As for the relations with Azerbaijan, the President noted, "Our main goal is to achieve the objective of living in peace with Azerbaijan, we support the establishment of lasting and sustainable peace in the region, our policy is aimed at this goal, and we expect support from our international partners exactly in this regard. We want to live in peace in our country and settle the problems with our neighbors through peaceful instruments and develop neighborly relations".