On October 4, during a question-and-answer session with the government in the French National Assembly, Bouches-du-Rhône deputy Anne-Laurence Petel asked the head of French diplomacy about the Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia and the execution of unarmed Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani soldiers.
We quote the answer of the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna in full.
“I understand your indignation and I completely agree, like everyone here, whether members of the National Assembly or the government. Yes, the execution of prisoners of war is a violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime. There can be no impunity in such cases.
France stands in solidarity with the Armenian people. I say it again, without ambiguity. Therefore, he called for an immediate impartial and independent investigation to identify those responsible for these actions and ensure that they are brought to justice. And let me add that France has called for the release of all Armenian prisoners who are still detained.
Today I repeat this appeal.
Against the background of the conflict, Azerbaijan’s recent armed incursions into Armenia are extremely serious. The President of the Republic immediately contacted his Armenian and Azerbaijani colleagues, calling for the cessation of hostilities, respect for Armenia’s territorial integrity and withdrawal from the positions occupied by Azerbaijan. I did the same. We also convened a Security Council, which held two sessions on September 15 and 16.
These events that took place in the internationally recognized territory of Armenia also revealed, I emphasize, Russia’s inability to play the role of arbiter that it claimed alone after the 2020 clashes.
France will continue to work for a peaceful and negotiated settlement of this crisis, particularly by sending an OSCE fact-finding mission, which is the core of our efforts at the moment. Just a few days ago, I talked about it with the acting chairman of the OSCE, my Polish colleague.”
