YEREVAN. – A group of residents of Hadrut, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), chanting "Return Hadrut!" and "Hadrut is Artsakh!" were protesting Thursday in front of the French Embassy in Armenia.

Their demand is but one: restoration of their violated rights.

These Hadrut residents had also brought a letter which they waned to hand to the French ambassador to Armenia.

Several minutes later, these Hadrut residents were met by French Ambassador Jonathan Lacote, himself, who assured them that the French Embassy in Armenia is always open for the people of Artsakh, and that both these people and the French authorities have a number of questions about the signed statement regarding Artsakh.

"Our priority is to support the people who have suffered. Today, French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with the representatives of Armenian. As I said, we [France] did not sign that document, but President Macron said that what happened should represent Armenia's interests, too. We are always open before the people of Artsakh," the French ambassador said, addressing these Hadrut residents.

These residents of Hadrut, in turn, thanked the French envoy for listening to them, and expressed the hope that France will obstruct the implementation of the points contained in the signed statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday night signed a joint statement on a complete cessation of hostilities in and around Artsakh. According to the Russian leader, the Azerbaijani and Armenian armed forces will remain in their positions, and Russian peacekeepers will be deployed in the region. But this statement also stipulates the handover of part of Artsakh lands to Azerbaijan.