In honor of President Serzh Sargsyan the President of France gave official reception

In honor of President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in France on official visit, in the evening of March 8 President François Hollande at the Élysée Palace gave an official reception.

Presidents Sargsyan and Hollande made reciprocal toasts in which they spoke about the Armenian-French centuries-long friendship, strong interstate relations formed in 25 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations and prospects of their development, issues of the bilateral agenda, which includes various areas, as well as about the important role of the Armenian-French community in the strengthening of the relations between the two countries and two nations.

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Toast raised by President Serzh Sargsyan at the official reception given by the President of France François Hollande

Distinguished Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As the saying goes “a friend in need, is a friend indeed.” But it’s also said that “a true friend is one who’s happy for your success.” The glorious Armenian-French friendship proves that when we put together these two, friendship becomes exceptional.

The Armenian-French friendship didn’t start with Armenia’s independence: our peoples knew each other and had the chance to cooperate closely since early Middle Ages.

Back in the times of the Kingdom of Cilicia, Armenian kings were allies and kin of the French monarchs. It is proved by the fact that the last King of Cilicia Levon VI was put to rest at the burial site of French royalty Saint Denis Abbey.

Because of these historic ties, after the collapse of the Soviet Union the Armenian people were quite familiar to the French people and from day one of our independence the interstate relations between Armenia and France soared.

Mister President,

It’s been my great honor and pleasure to work with you for the benefit of this friendship which has been constantly guiding and empowering the Armenian-French interstate relations.

As a result, we have an exceptionally comprehensive agenda, programs ranging from political to economic, from humanitarian to long term development projects. I am confident that this is not the limit: through our joint efforts, we will augment numerous manifestations of our friendship with new ones. As you once said, our philosophy is not shaped by the time or the position we hold.

I thank you and all high-level French officials for this warm welcome, for the atmosphere of mutual respect and trust and the readiness to further promote our relations.

Since my visit coincides with a very beautiful holiday – March 8, I would like to congratulate you, dear ladies and in your person all Armenian and French women, and wish you boundless happiness. Your role in bringing harmony and charm to our lives and policies is indispensible.

Dear Friends and Partners,

Working together for a quarter of a century, at the bilateral as well as multilateral levels, we have travelled a road full of events, have multiplied and deepened the relations which we inherited historically and made them more practical, more substantial, aimed at the future.

Immediately after Armenia regained independence, France stood by our young state and from that day on has been unequivocally supporting the advancement of our statebuilding processes, also as a reliable partner in the European and international settings.

Only a country, which is strong with the principles that withstood the test of time, can offer such friendship, with the readiness to share its own exemplary experience and own accomplishments. This is what makes the French spirit unique for us.
As much as France stands by Armenia, Armenia cares the same way about France. We felt enormous pain in Armenia when the bloodcurdling terrorist attacks happened in Paris, Nice and other places in France, killing innocent people and derailing the normal life of the French nation. We cannot change the past, but the tenacity of the French people and authorities in facing that horrendous challenge is exemplary.
Commendable also France’s and personally yours, Mister President, approach towards the explicit condemnation of the greatest tragedy of the Armenian people. Really, one never knows where one will find consolation and hope. When the Armenians, who had survived the Genocide, arrived to this distant land, thanks to the great French nation they found solace and hope. They built their homes again and started to create again. It is no accident that the Armenian community of France is known to the world for its high level of integration and at the same time for remaining true to the rich national culture and traditions. This phenomenon has been very well defined by our great performer Charles Aznavour who said, “I am 100 percent French and 100 percent Armenian.” This is a source of pride for us and also a very emotional issue.

Dear Guests,

Without overloading you with the details of the NK issue, I would only like to say that our goal is peace. Nobody has ever achieved anything good with arms, and peace is established where there is the understanding of the necessity to listen to the other party and make reasonable concessions. It is obvious that peace is not the absence of disagreements but the ability to solve them peacefully.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Trust is the first and foremost condition for friendship. Let the Armenian-French friendship never lacks trust. Let’s raise our glasses for the distinguished Mister President, for France, for its talented and hardworking people, for the glory of the everlasting Armenian-French friendship.
Long live France!
Long live Armenia!

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Toast raised by the President of France François Hollande
at the official reception in honor of President Serzh Sargsyan

Distinguished Mister President,
Honorable members of the Armenian Government,
Honorable members of the National Assembly,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you in France again.
Today is March 8, the International Women’s Day which is a holiday in Armenia. For that occasion, invited to the reception are the women, who are not only famous for the development of the Armenian-French relations, but also for the protection of the values which our two countries share.
We are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries, but our common history is not limited to 25 years. The Armenian-French community is one of the most powerful communities in the world. France knows what she owes to the Armenians who fought for our freedom. They fought on our land for the values which we share today. After the victory, they participated in the reconstruction, just as they had done after World War I. Today they work for the glory of France in all areas of arts, science, movies, culture, song performance, literature, and economy.

Mister President,

For me, it was a great honor and duty to be in Yerevan on April 24, 2015 during the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. Laying just one carnation by the flame, I wanted to give my pledge to the struggle which France has been carrying on so that that tragedy, which resulted in the extermination of a part of the Armenian people, while the other part was scattered all over the world, is not forgotten.
We always have to fight against oblivion, against denial because the first as well as the second have only one consequence – make today’s massacres possible.
You are aware of my commitment on this issue and on the legislation for the criminalization of the words and writings on the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
I will not speak of the things that were done after January 29, 2001 when the law was adopted which stated clearly that France publicly recognized the Armenian Genocide of 2015.

As you know, the Constitutional Court, whose decisions are mandatory for all, ruled that such a law damages disproportionately the freedom of speech. For that very reason, France will continue to promote the awareness related to the Armenian Genocide and dissemination of the scientific results so that the truth is accepted.
We are working also towards the future. We want to stand by you, respecting your decisions. More than three years ago, you decided to join the Eurasian Economic Union. I personally pledged that that membership would not challenge the ties which you want to have with Europe and so that you were able to sign a new framework document with the European Union. It is always possible to build future. France strives to remain among the leading Western investors. I am well-aware of your efforts to make your country economically more attractive. Our entrepreneurs have grasped it, and currently France is present in the areas of agricultural produce processing, telecommunication, transportation and other areas. The French Development Agency is financing housing programs, development of rural infrastructure and especially, the irrigation system. It is also aimed at promoting the decentralized cooperation, which we support, and I am glad that many of the parliamentarians, who represent different regions of France, share this approach.
In the area of education, for over 15 years the French University in Armenia has been teaching thousands of young people who speak French perfectly. I take this occasion to congratulate you, Mr. President, for accepting the responsibility of holding the next Summit of the International Organization of Francophonie in Yerevan. France stands ready to assist you in organizing this momentous event.

To build a peaceful and safe future, we have to continue our efforts aimed at the resolution of the NK problem. You know the readiness of France, as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, to find a solution for this conflict. Clashes, which took place in April 2016, and recent events are tragic reminders of that.

Nothing could be worse than the status quo. The parties have been negotiating for 23 years without a noticeable outcome.

Many times, the solution seemed to be close. In October 2014, I took the initiative to invite you and your Azerbaijani colleague to meet in Paris. We registered progress on the painful issue of the individuals lost in the course of the conflict but were not able to move further. But negotiations have no alternative if we all agree that the conflict cannot have a military solution.

Together with the United States and Russia, France carries on with her mediation efforts. The conditions for the solution are known – Madrid Principles, whose main principles are non-use of force, territorial integrity, and right of people for self-determination. France is ready to support any initiative on this direction.
Mister President,

Your presence here is a new sign of the deep and true relations which bind together our two countries. This is an honorable and compelling history for us; it sets the foundation for the friendship which is unshakable. For the friendship, which you have come to celebrate, I raise my glass for this unshakable friendship.

Long live France!
Long live Armenia!
Long live the French-Armenian friendship!