Stéphane Séjourné, France’s soon-to-be-retired foreign minister, visited Yerevan. Amid the change of the French government and the reformatting of the European Commission, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed Séjourné’s candidacy as a member of the “European government”. Thus, Séjourné’s current tour will probably be his last as French foreign minister, Kommersant writes.
Séjourné assured his interlocutors that Paris is ready to continue to promote Armenia’s rapprochement with the EU, as well as to develop cooperation in the field of defense and strategic infrastructure. In addition, he warned Moscow against putting pressure on Yerevan, which is “moving toward democracy”.
The rapprochement between Armenia and France is accompanied by scandals in French-Azerbaijani relations. While Yerevan sees Paris as its main Western ally, Baku accuses France of suppressing democracy and pursuing a neocolonial policy.
Calling for the conclusion of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan before the Nov. 11–12 Global Climate Summit in Baku, the French foreign minister made it clear that the ball is in Azerbaijan’s court. According to him, Azerbaijan must prove that it really strives for peace.
