“Lachin Corridor will be opened. There is no doubt about this, no legal provision or reason justifying the closure of the corridor. France is concerned about this situation, and we always remind our European partners about the humanitarian situation created here and the great risk for the population. At a press conference in Goris,” former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said everyone should take responsibility. The delegation led by the latter was on a two-day working visit to Armenia.
The delegation included ex-minister, Member of the European Parliament Nathalie Loiseau, the widow of prominent French-Armenian politician Patrick Devedjian, Sophie Devedjian, and other officials. “We came to see the situation on the spot and say it is time to open the Lachin corridor. We also wanted to reaffirm our solidarity with the Armenian people,” said the former French Prime Minister.
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Let’s note that the delegation members wore badges with the inscription “France with Armenia.” In his speech, Syunik Marz Governor Robert Ghukasyan emphasized the importance of visiting high-ranking guests in Syunik during this challenging period. The Governor answered the questions of interest to the French side, which were related to the situation in Syunik, security issues, and the lifestyle of the people living in the border villages. The members of the French delegation met in Goris with the people of Artsakh who temporarily took refuge in Syunik due to the closure of the Armenia-Artsakh road, as well as those displaced from Berdzor and Aghavno as a result of the last war. After listening to their stories and raising issues, Eduard Philippe promised to continue his efforts after returning to France to achieve the opening of the Berdzor Corridor.
“After returning to France, the European and other partners must look for a way to open the corridor immediately. In particular, I am thinking about the Russian government, which will make every effort to open the road,” said the former French prime minister in particular, answering the journalists’ questions.
The head of the Goris community Arush Arushanyan, Deputy Governor of Syunik Nare Ghazaryan, and other regional government officials also participated in the meeting.
Armen DAVTYAN
