Nagorno-Karabakh has not been recognized as a state either by the international community or even by Armenia. By the way, Armenia has also accepted, recognized that Nagorno-Karabakh has been part of Azerbaijan ever since the adoption of the Alma Ata declaration, as Nagorno-Karabakh was a region of Soviet Azerbaijan. This was stated by French Ambassador Olivier Decottignies in an interview with the Public Radio of Armenia.

“Therefore, those who claim that Nagorno-Karabakh was recognized as part of Azerbaijan in 2022 in Prague are lying because Nagorno-Karabakh has been recognized by Armenia as part of Azerbaijan ever since the Alma Ata declaration. By the way, Prague only refers, reminds of the Alma Ata declaration. And today the question is: how to achieve peace—a just, stable, strong peace—in order to eliminate the threats hanging over Armenia,” added Decottignies.

Referring to the ongoing legal cases in Azerbaijan against the Armenian former military and political leadership of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), where Baku presents Artsakh as a terrorist entity, the French ambassador to Armenia said: “Terrorism is a very serious problem, and we should not talk about it lightly. France, which is a member of the European Union, has a very clear approach to terrorism. There is a terrorist organizations’ list approved by the member states of the European Union, and Nagorno-Karabakh is not on that list.”

The French diplomat added that he does not comment on Azerbaijan’s statements.

When asked what support France and the international community should provide, what France is ready to provide in order to provide a dignified solution to the ongoing trial in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, the French ambassador replied: “France is not the most influential country in Baku for the very reasons that you also mentioned. France supports Armenia, and Azerbaijan reacts very sharply to that support. But there are a number of countries that have fairly close political, military, economic relations with Azerbaijan and, I believe, can be useful."