By Siranush Adamyan
France’s Ambassador to Armenia until last month, Olivier Decottignies, said Armenia has strengthened its sovereignty by diversifying its security, economic and diplomatic partnerships after losing confidence in Russia as an ally.
In an interview published on Sept. 13 by Nouvelles d’Arménie en Ligne, Decottignies, who has already left Armenia after completing his three-year mission, described Paris’ position as one of “full, unconditional and constant” support for Armenia.
He said the arrival of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh was the most painful memory of his posting. But he also said he had recently seen signs of a less anxious society, pointing to public celebrations during this year’s Vardavar festival.
Russia, peace and diversification
Decottignies said Armenia’s confidence in Russia had eroded over security. Moscow did not intervene during the 2020 war, he said, and failed to respond when Armenia called for help in 2021 and 2022.
Russia’s trade restrictions on Armenian goods also showed that Moscow was not a reliable commercial partner, he said. Armenia should not end economic relations with Russia, but should reduce its dependence on the Russian market by developing other partnerships.
He said the European Union’s importance lay not only in financial assistance but also in access to the EU market. Armenia would need to adapt some agricultural and food exports to European standards, he said, but this could help improve the economy and reduce dependence on Russia.
“Armenia is not a child,” he said, rejecting the idea that the country was simply caught in a geopolitical contest among larger powers. He said Armenia had made its own decisions and expanded ties with the European Union, the United States, India, China, Gulf states and Iran.
Decottignies also said the EU had not required Armenia to choose between relations with Europe and Russia. Such a choice would be necessary only if Armenia one day decided to seek EU membership, he added.
Trump Route and relations with Iran
The French diplomat described the Trump Route as a positive development that could increase economic interdependence and help consolidate the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.
He said the U.S. initiative, which brought Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev together in Washington, had helped advance the process. Three agreements were reached, including one related to the route, he said.
Decottignies rejected the view that Iran had openly opposed the project. Tehran had said it did not want the route to serve interests contrary to its own in Armenia, he said, but had not expressed opposition to a transport infrastructure project.
France and Iran share a position on the need to protect Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, he added. He also said Armenia needed to continue strengthening its armed forces to defend its population, territory and sovereignty.
France-Armenia ties become strategic
Decottignies said France-Armenia relations had evolved from a historically close relationship into a strategic partnership. Defense cooperation was a key element, he said, including the opening of France’s defense mission in Yerevan and the delivery of military equipment.
He said French equipment displayed during Armenia’s May 28 parade and used in the Eagle Partner multinational exercise was now operational with the Armenian armed forces.
The relationship has also expanded into infrastructure and business, he said. He cited the Vedi reservoir project, a preliminary agreement involving Vinci and Razel-Bec for the Bargushat tunnel, and a 10-year contract involving a French company for Armenia’s passport and identity-document system.
Looking ahead, Decottignies identified three priorities: economic ties, defense cooperation and French support for Armenia’s European ambitions. French companies investing in Armenia could also help introduce European standards, he said.
He acknowledged that intellectual-property protection remained a problem, pointing to counterfeit luxury goods sold in Yerevan. But he said French-Armenian ties rested on a broad political and public consensus in France, rather than solely on the personal relationship between President Emmanuel Macron and Pashinyan.
On domestic affairs, Decottignies said he did not believe Armenia’s democracy had regressed, while noting the need for vigilance over judicial cases and press freedom. He described Armenia as “an oasis of freedom” in the region, but said its closer relationship with Europe required greater adherence to human rights, public freedoms and the rule of law.
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