“The strategy of stifling, which aims to provoke a mass exodus of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, is illegal, as was established by the [International Court of Justice,] and it is also immoral,” Colonna declared during an annual conference of French ambassadors held in Paris.
She said that France is seeking a “just and lasting peace” between Armenia and Azerbaijan that would allow Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population to continue living there and guarantee “respect for their rights, culture and history.”
Speaking at the conference on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris will try to drum up stronger international pressure on Azerbaijan to end the blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, medicine and other basic necessities in Karabakh. He said he will hold further discussions with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Baku denounced Macron’s remarks, saying that they run counter to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry was also quick to hit out Colonna. It accused Paris of obstructing Baku’s efforts to “integrate the Karabakh Armenians” into Azerbaijan.
“We are once again calling on the French side to put an end to such subversive and provocative statements,” added a ministry spokesman.
Macron spoke with Pashinian by phone on Tuesday. According to an Armenian readout of the call, Pashinian told him that the humanitarian crisis in Karabakh is “worsening by the day” and requiring urgent international intervention.
France, which is home to a sizable Armenian community, has been the most vocal international critic of the Azerbaijani blockade. Azerbaijan has repeatedly accused Macron and other French officials of siding with Armenia in the Karabakh conflict.