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“France continues remaining as a protector of human rights, solidarity and suppressed nations,” Armenia’s deputy foreign minister Grigor Hovhannisyan stated today at the discussion at the NA Committee on Foreign Relations sitting.

Hovhannisyan’s remarks came at a request by MPs to comment on the reports that  French courts had declared invalid number of declarations of friendship between French municipalities and Artsakh’s towns.

The deputy minister refused to comment on the ruling of the French courts, insisting the decisions were perhaps  a private demarche since no public demand existed among political circles of France to  reassess, downgrade or cancel relations with Artsakh.

To remind, over the past week administrative courts  in France declared invalid the friendship declarations signed between the French cities of Valence, Bourg-les-Valence, Bourg-de-Péage and Arnouville with Artsakh cities. However, the mayors of the communities in question  the towns stated intention to maintain the friendly relations with the people of Artsakh, despite the courts’ verdicts.

“I assume there was a private case of court demarche and I do not think it will have a consequence on the overall perception of Artsakh in France, and the struggle of the Artsakh people. In my personal opinion, this step will not obstruct the democratic horizonal diplomacy, and the relations between twin towns and universities will even strengthen. As a proof I can point to the resentment among the members of the Armenian community and the political circles in France these days,” Hovhannisyan said.