Jerome Lambert believes that France has the responsibility to play the role of mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Jérôme Lambert is a member of the French National Assembly and the Council of Europe and NATO Parliament.
The recent general elections in Armenia have seen Prime Minister Nikolai Pashinyan return to office with a significantly increased majority. Pashinyan instinctively uttered a gentle and pragmatic voice. In the past, he found that he had to make concessions to his “superman,” whose only vision for his country was isolation and eternal dissatisfaction with Turkey. Armenia is now at a crossroads. Will it continue to pursue the historical agenda of self-harm of regional isolation, or will it choose the path of peace and reconciliation?
France has an important responsibility on this issue. For nearly 30 years, France, Russia and the United States have served as one of the three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, responsible for the peaceful settlement of Armenia’s military occupation of Karabakh, an important area of Azerbaijan. The organization’s diplomatic failure was a factor in the war between two neighboring countries last year, which ended with the restoration of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty. But lasting peace is still unresolved, and France now has a chance to act.
At stake is not only the future of the South Caucasus, but also France’s international reputation as an “honest broker”. In recent years and months, the pressure from the well-organized Armenian diaspora lobby from France may have weakened our country’s ability to act as a just mediator. At the same time, the United States pursues a neutral and balanced agenda-one month to officially recognize the Armenian genocide, and next month to help persuade Armenia to surrender a map of large areas of landmines, which is the tragic legacy of its Karabakh occupation.
France must now seek to rebalance its attitude towards the region. This has a key advantage: its unwavering support for Armenia gives it a certain influence in Yerevan, and France must use this influence now. The French people have a long and painful experience of conflicts with neighboring countries, but they also know that economic cooperation and common prosperity can overcome even the most traumatic events in history. Encouraging and supporting cross-border economic cooperation should now be a priority of France’s South Caucasus policy.
At present, Armenia’s economy is still paralyzed. Three of its four international borders prohibit trade-with Turkey, Azerbaijan, and even its Christian compatriots, Georgia. Only the fourth-with Iran-is open. In the north, Armenia is still very dependent on Russia. It is in Russia’s best interest to keep Armenia vulnerable and dependent. It is time for the South Caucasus to normalize, reopen its borders, and rebuild important transportation links.
In addition to the important issue of France’s diplomatic reputation, France’s direct economic interests are also threatened. The South Caucasus, which has long been hampered by the Karabakh issue, can now move forward. The opportunities for investment in the region—especially in the destroyed territory of Karabakh itself—are huge, and Azerbaijan’s strong economy supports the reconstruction of important infrastructure, allowing 1 million domestic refugees to return home. Mining, agriculture, green energy, transportation, tourism: these are just a few of the many industries that currently welcome international investment. France can immediately restore its credibility as an independent mediator, help ensure the economic foundation for a lasting peace, and promote the commercial interests of French companies in the region.
So far, Armenia has sent negative or ambiguous signals to neighboring countries. It is in France’s interest to encourage Armenia to escape isolation. The key to unlocking the potential of the region lies in Yerevan, and Yerevan obeys Paris. Using its political, diplomatic and commercial channels, it is time for Paris to speak out.
