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Time in Yerevan: 11:07,   28 March 2024

France is faithful ally of Armenia on Genocide issue: Jean-Francois Charpentier

France is faithful ally of Armenia on Genocide issue: Jean-Francois Charpentier

YEREVAN, 1 APRIL, ARMENPRESS: The upcoming visit of the President Francois Hollande to Yerevan on April 24 is the best pledge of France’s respect towards the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. The evaluation belongs to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the Republic of Armenia Jean-Francois Charpentier. In the talk with Armenpress the Ambassador speaks about his findings in Armenia and the expectations of France from the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Riga in May.
- Dear Ambassador, thank you for not rejecting the suggestion of the interview. How do you feel in Armenia? What interesting novelty have you found here and how would You describe the Armenians?
- I've been in Armenia for a few months and I feel good here. The Armenians have shown a warm welcome and every day I prove the importance of the relations between our countries.  I have started to discover the capital, even though many times I have been in Tsakhkadzor for skiing, last week I visited the Ararat valley and I am planning to visit various places in the coming months. Beside the hospitality, in my opinion, the Armenians have a strong connection with their values, culture and history, due to which they are particularly reliable interlocutors, the ties with whom are enriching. 
- What will be the priorities of your diplomatic activity? Which issues of the Armenian-French relations would you pay more attention to?
- My supremacy of the Armenian-French diplomatic relations is the development of the trade-economic relations. Even if France occupies the second place in the number of investments made in Armenia, the foreign trade index of 2014 exceeds a little the threshold of 60 million Euros. I would like that the trade and economic relations of our two countries become as strong as our political relations. If French companies find their place here, then the Armenian consumer will be their first beneficiary, as it happened, for instance, with Orange and Carrefour. In case of the infrastructure, where the government and municipal authorities have undertaken ambitious plans of modernization, the French companies are endowed with the great world-famous experience. My job is to convince the Armenians that the brand "France" in terms of quality provides convenience and comfort to the improvement of such important living conditions, as the public transportation, sanitation or waste disposal.
 
- The year of 2015 has a special importance for Armenia and the Armenian people. As you know, this year Armenians will commemorate the Armenian Genocide victims. What message would you send to the Armenian people?
- I reaffirm my support to a nation which has had very tragic moments in the history, among which the Genocide especially occupies a separate place. President Hollande's visit on April 24 for commemoration and remembrance is the best guarantor for the respect of France.
- Mr. Ambassador, you have somewhat anticipated my next question. Last year the French President Francois Hollande declared that on April 24 he would visit the Tsitsernakaberd memorial. Do you have any information, who will be in the delegation headed by Mr. Hollande?
- By this time the members of the delegation, consisted of 120 members have not been decided yet. I can only say that prominent personalities and figures, which have special connection with Armenia, will be included in the prestigious delegation, accompanying the President.
- The genocides will continue as long as they are not condemned and the criminals are not punished. Unfortunately, the Armenian Genocide has not been fully recognized yet. As an important European Union country, what is the call of France to the EU member partner countries and Turkey?
- As you know, on the issue of the Genocide, in the international institutions Armenia has a faithful ally, France. In parallel, France regularly calls on Turkey to face that page of its history. No nation can be proud by it exemplary behavior which it has manifested during the whole history. For its part France, even after long discussions, but firmly, managed to accept its part of the responsibility for the deportation of Jews or in some issues of the colonial era. In other contexts, other nations, the power of which is not disputed by anyone, have admitted, that they also had had dark moments in the own history.
- At which phase is the new draft law of France, which criminalizes the Armenian Genocide denial? Is it possible that it is introduced to the French Senate by April 24?
- In 2012, the French Parliament adopted a draft law criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial, but it was rejected by the Constitutional Council due to the motivation of undermining the freedom of speech and communication. Last year, the President ordered the government to prepare a new legally irrefutable draft. As of today we are at this phase.
           
- France is the supporter of the strengthening of the EU-Armenia relations and the authorities of France have repeatedly spoken about the importance of those relations. What expectations does France have from the summit of the Eastern Partnership countries, to be held in Riga in May?
- France is next to Armenia in the European Union and will use its influence in the summit of Riga to set the determined road map. France believes that the relations of Armenia with its neighboring countries and many Western partners strengthen Armenia. Nevertheless, the lack of pretension in Riga would mean to deprive Armenia of many favorable opportunities for economic cooperation and political dialogue. To reach such a result in Riga implies to the final development of the consultations of not only EU-Armenia, but also between Armenia and each member state of the EU, taking into account that the position of each of the 28 states is considered during the decision-making process.
Interview by Hasmik Harutyunyan




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