On Thursday, December 3, France’s National Assembly passed a resolution by a vote of 188 to 3 and 16 abstentions, recognizing Artsakh and condemning Azerbaijan and Turkey for their aggression against Armenia and Artsakh.
This follows the resolution by the French Senate, which similarly recognized Artsakh and condemned Turkey and Azerbaijan by a vote of 305 to 1 on November 25.
Pressure from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which had announced that France would not recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh following the Senate vote, did not deter the National Assembly from the vote.
The National Assembly resolution, introduced with the signature of 32 deputies on October 14, cited Turkey’s aggressive and continued military buildup and Ankara-backed foreign mercenaries not only in Karabagh but elsewhere, warning of a surge in islamist violence managed directly by Ankara. It also cited Azerbaijan’s massive military buildup and its targeting of civilians during the Karabagh war as war crimes and a threat to stability not only in the Caucasus but also around the world.
The resolution specifically:
“1. Takes note of the refusal by the Azerbaijani government to privilege a negotiated solution to the conflict of Upper Karabagh;
2. Highlights the exceptional character of the conflict of Upper Karabagh, given the belligerent parties and its regional implications, which calls for a negotiated solution;
3. Affirms the urgent need to reach a final settlement of the conflict guaranteeing the lasting security of the affected civilian populations;
4. Affirms the absolute need that Upper Karabagh ensures its full sovereignty outside any Azerbaijani administration, which otherwise will entail an eradication of Armenian populations, within final borders determined in a multilateral negotiation including the authorities of Artsakh;
5. Invites the [French] government to proceed without delay to the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh and establish diplomatic relations with its authorities in order to obtain a definitive solution to the conflict.”