French lawyer: We will continue to work until last 'Charter of Friendship' is repealed

"We stand for justice," Olivier Pardo, a lawyer representing Azerbaijan in the cancellation of the "charters of friendship" signed between some French cities and the separatist regime in Nagorno-Karabakh, told Report's local bureau.

According to him, the pro-Armenian position demonstrated by a number of French parliamentarians, mayors, and government officials is unacceptable: "All this, at least, runs contrary to France's activities in the OSCE Minsk Group. France cannot both play the role of a mediator between the two countries and side with Armenia. France must take a balanced position between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This position must also comply with international law."

Pardo said Armenian diaspora organizations in France threatened him:

"We have achieved the abolition of the "charters of friendship" signed between several French cities and the separatist regime in Nagorno-Karabakh. Because these charters have no legal value. We could get the prefectures to sue their cities' mayor offices on the law and repeal these charters. We will not turn back from this path; we will continue our work until the last charter is repealed. So far, the decisions of both the administrative prefectures and the courts have resulted in our favor without exception. We have encountered great obstacles on this path. Armenian associations operating in France targeted us, wrote insulting remarks to my office, and even threatened me. But all this did not scare us. Because we defend justice. On the contrary, all this has strengthened our faith and given us more impetus in our work."

The lawyer also touched upon the recent petition of 22 lawyers to the French government on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict: "There is a biased approach to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in French society. Apparently, they have forgotten the history of Karabakh. They even need to be reminded of what illegal occupation is. Thus, along with the political and diplomatic realities, we needed to clarify the legal side of the issue. With all this in mind, the lawyers decided to sign a petition, which was very successful."

Pardo is one of the "tenors" of the Paris Bar Association. He is a former judge, chairman of the Correctional and Civil Courts. Olivier Pardo has served as an adviser to the French Minister of Justice, as well as an adviser to the Minister of Social Affairs.