Circle of Friendship with Karabakh Republic Formed in French National Assembly

PARIS — A group of municipalities, members of the French National Assembly and Senate, who represent France’s major political forces, announced the formation of Circle of Friendship with Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR).

They made a special statement appreciating the consistent efforts of the NKR people and authorities to build free and democratic society, calling for an end to the NKR’s political isolation and expressing support to the NKR people’s right of self-determination.

“Assuming as a basis the absolute significance of the liberty and democratic values stated in the General Declaration on Human Rights, supporting the right to self-determination of all the peoples including the people of Nagorno Karabakh – Artsakh, and being confident that the international isolation of the Artsakh people does not contribute to the dialogue of the peoples and steadfast peace, we – political figures, deputies, and senators of the French Republic, declare about the creation of friendship circle with Artsakh.” Reads the statement.

The Circle members are Deputy Mayor of Marseille Roland Blum, Mayor of Vienne Jacques Remiller, MPs Valérie Boyer, René Rouquet, Guy Teissier, François Rochebloine, senators Sophie Zhuassen, Philippe Marini, Bernard Fournier as well as former MPs Georges Colombier and Richard Malia.

Below is the statement on establishing Circle of Friendship with Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Republic of Artsakh):

1. Taking as basis the exclusive importance of freedom and democratic values incorporated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

2. Supporting the right of self-determination of all the peoples including the people of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh);

3. Realizing the necessity of establishing long-term peace and preserving stability in the South Caucasus region;

4. Assisting the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ activities to settle the Karabakh issue and efforts made by the French Republic on this path;

5. Hailing the consistent steps of the people and authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh (Republic of Artsakh) to establish and develop free and democratic society;

6. Being sure that the isolation of the Artsakh people from international processes will contribute to a dialogue between peoples or to stability in the world;

We, politicians, MPs and senators of the French Republic, state our decision to establish a Circle of Friendship with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh).