November 18, 2020
Armenians in Paris celebrate Artsakh
The City Council of Paris has adopted a resolution, calling on the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs to urge France to recognize the Republic of Artsakh, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry reported in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
The resolution cites numerous factors for this initiative, including the military aggression by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, which was sponsored by Turkey and the involvement of jihadist militants from Syria. It also highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh that resulted from the Azerbaijani air strikes as a result of which 80 percent of the infrastructures of Stepanakert have been destroyed.
The resolution also notes that France, which is an OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair, did not participate in the signing of the ceasefire on November 9 under the mediation of Russia, where the victory of power predominated over the victory of a dialogue.
It also says that despite the deployment of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), the existence of Nagorno Karabakh is under existential threat.
Below is the translated text of the Paris City Council Resolution.
Taking into consideration the mobilization of French elected officials who call for the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh, including a group of parliamentarians from different political parties, who tabled on October 19, 2020 a “Motion for a resolution on the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh”,
Taking into consideration that on September 27, 2020, a military offensive was initiated by Azerbaijan, politically and militarily supported by Turkey, with the use of jihadist fighters from Syria,
Taking into consideration that following air strikes by the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dozens of civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh were injured and killed and that 80 percent of the urban infrastructure of Stepanakert, including school and hospital facilities, was largely destroyed,
Taking into consideration the humanitarian situation and all the victims in the region,
Taking into consideration that despite calls from France, mediator in this conflict as co-chair of the Minsk Group, for the immediate cessation of hostilities from their start, the situation has become increasingly critical and that on several occasions ceasefires were declared and all were violated within an hour of their declaration,
Taking into consideration that a ceasefire was concluded on November 9 under the aegis of Russia, which France was not invited to sign,
Taking into consideration that under the ceasefire agreement, the two armies remained on the positions occupied on that date to the detriment of the Armenian people and the population of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Taking into consideration that despite the presence of a Russian intervention force, Nagorno-Karabakh is threatened in its very existence,
Taking into consideration that the Mayor of Paris has spoken on several occasions to call for an end to the violence and to recall the support of the City of Paris for the Armenian people wherever they live,
Taking into consideration that the relations of friendship between the City of Paris and the Armenian people are old and unwavering, that they were reminded to the Armenian authorities by our colleague Anouch Toranian, who accompanied an observation mission of the UGBU Europe at the height of the fighting,
Taking into consideration that the City of Paris has a tradition of supporting populations who are victims of massive human rights violations,
Taking into consideration that the City of Yerevan is a member of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF),
Taking into consideration that it appears crucial for the City of Paris to provide support to the residents of Nagorno Karabakh,
The Council of Paris expresses the wish:
That the Mayor of Paris send a letter to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, inviting France to recognize the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh),
That the French Government, lifting the ban on territorial communities maintaining relations with Nagorno-Karabakh, authorize them to cooperate with Nagorno-Karabakh in the context of humanitarian aid,
So that the City of Paris can provide emergency humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh through an on-site operator in order to come to the aid of the populations who are victims of the conflict as closely as possible,
That the City of Paris provide aid in the amount of €50,000 to the population of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as to the displaced persons who fled it to take refuge in the Republic of Armenia. This assistance, provided through the Armenian Fund of France, is added to the €50,000 provided through the Paris-based International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), to Yerevan.