The French Senate adopted a resolution aimed at “condemning Azerbaijan’s military aggression in Nagorno-Karabakh and preventing further attempts of aggression against the Republic of Armenia and violation of territorial integrity” with 336 votes in favor and one against.
“The French Senate strongly condemns the military attack carried out by Azerbaijan with the support of its allies on September 19 and 20, 2023 in Nagorno-Karabakh, which led to the expulsion of almost the entire Armenian population living there.
The Senate reminds that respecting the right of peoples to self-determination, which extends to the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, is the only possible way to a stable peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and that the states are obliged to respect and protect this right. Therefore, the international community is obliged to request Azerbaijan to make all efforts to ensure the right of the Armenian population to return to Nagorno-Karabakh under conditions that ensure their safety and well-being,” the resolution reads.
The measure calls for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the troops of Azerbaijan and its allies from the sovereign territory of Armenia. It states that “Armenia has the right to protect its territorial integrity and possesses the means to ensure its security, including through military measures.”
The resolution also condemns the arbitrary arrests of political leaders in Nagorno-Karabakh, calls for the exclusion of Azerbaijan from the intergovernmental committee for the protection of cultural property in armed conflict.
The measure highlights the establishment of an international group of experts at UNESCO and its mission to Nagorno-Karabakh to prepare an informative report on the state of cultural and religious heritage.
The resolution also calls for the strictest measures, including the seizure of the assets of Azerbaijani leaders and an embargo on the import of gas and oil from Azerbaijan as a sanction against military aggression by Azerbaijan.
The Senate welcomes the French government’s initiative to expand humanitarian aid to Armenia to meet the basic needs of the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh who have become refugees on its territory, and suggests that the government urge its European partners to follow its example.