Emmanuel Macron should give preference to policies that serve to bring Azerbaijan and Armenia closer together, French MP Andre Villiers told Report while commenting on the draft resolution prepared by the French Senate against Azerbaijan.
According to him, attempts of the French parliament to determine the country's foreign policy are unacceptable:
"Attempts were made to adopt a biased resolution in the French National Assembly during the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. At that time, most of the parliamentarians supported the Armenians' position. This also shows that the National Assembly tries to decide on the country's foreign policy. This is not normal at all. I am very disappointed with the processes and the ourcomes they bring."
Villiers said that there is a large Armenian diaspora in France and their sphere of influence is quite broad:
"They make up the majority in the regions around Paris and the country's southern regions. MPs are subjected to constant pressure from Armenian voters during elections. Here we are talking about election blackmail. These acts are a great hindrance to efforts to restore peace. However, after 30 years of conflict, Azerbaijan and Armenia can finally live peacefully within the internationally accepted borders."
Villiers emphasized that the French government is still pursuing a useless policy after 30 years of diplomatic failure in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict:
"The President of the European Union Commission visited Azerbaijan due to the current energy crisis, and as a result of this visit, the President of Azerbaijan agreed to double the amount of gas exported to the European Union. France, in turn, is on the list of countries benefiting from this decision. So, the French government shows that it supports Armenia, and on the other hand, it benefits from Azerbaijan's natural resources, including gas. This policy will in no way help the head of state, who has already demonstrated that he is on the side of the Armenians. Rather than playing the role of an advocate, Emmanuel Macron would be more useful in prioritizing policies that serve to bring the two countries closer together. This will restore peace and tranquility in the South Caucasus."