French Senate adopts resolution "On the need to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh"

The French Senate has adopted a resolution “On the need to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh”, with 305 deputies voting in favor with only one ‘against.’

The document itself has no legal force and is advisory in nature, like all resolutions of the Senate. Now the French government has the floor, it can take note of the document, but is not obliged to comply with it.

The resolution calls on the French government to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh and provide large-scale support to the peaceful population of Karabakh. It also talks about the need to create an international commission to investigate war crimes committed against the peaceful population of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The document calls on the French government to make every effort to resume the negotiation process, ensuring the borders outlined in 1994. The resolution contains a call to ensure the safety of the Armenian population and the right of displaced persons to return.

French parliamentarians believe that this document will help establish a lasting peace in the region.

The rapporteur on the resolution, Senator Bruno Retayo, said during his speech that the conflict ceased to be local after the massive and decisive support of the Turkish President, who is pursuing an expansionist, neo-Ottoman and Islamist policy:

“I am quoting exactly the words of Erdogan: ‘Nagorno-Karabakh has become a country of Islam and returned to the shadow of the crescent.’ How much more aggression is needed for Europe to finally announce real sanctions – diplomatic, but above all economic? When will we ourselves cease to be naive?”

The draft resolution was submitted to the Senate on November 18 by five senators from various factions, including the leader of the Republicans Bruno Retailon and the leader of the “Union of Centrists” group.

In October, a bill on the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh was presented to the lower house of the French parliament, proposing to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh ‘in order to protect the population of the area from military threats from Azerbaijan, which launched military aggression on September 27.’