French-Armenian MP calls for rapid international reaction to Baku ‘Military Trophies Park’

We need the international community’s strong efforts to rapidly react to the recently inaugurated "Military Trophies Park" in Baku to have real guarantees that the enforcement of international law will be essentially protected, says Danièle Cazarian, a member of the French National Assembly representing the department of Rhône. 

In an interview with Tert.am, the French-Armenian politician addressed the global political players’ role in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) peace process, focusing especially on her country’s efforts and expressing regret about the OSCE Minsk Group mission’s not quite effective work.  

“I regret to say that the OSCE Minsk Group did not work effectively. I sincerely hope France will urge and engage all the interested sides to find common ground for the captives’ return and the elimination of all forms of violence in Artsakh. The destruction of Armenian cultural heritage is the proof of Azerbaijan’s policy of pursuing ethnic cleansing. That is why, I think, international recognition is the only way towards ensuring the protection of Artsakh. And that is what the French parliament has actually represented,” she said. 

Commenting on the French authorities’ collaboration with Armenia, the lawmaker stressed her good working relations with the Armenian ambassador in Paris (and close contact with him like many colleagues from different political parties in France).  

“It is not anyway my responsibility to evaluate a foreign government’s work in France, but you may have no doubt that the mobilization of French citizens of Armenian descent was very effective in terms of raising awareness of Artsakh,” Cazarian added. 

She said she was terrified by the Azerbaijani authorities’ move to open the trophy park featuring mannequins of Armenian soldiers. “That too, constitutes a blatant violation of international treaties. Now that the war is over, Baku must immediately halt all the forms of provocation to demonstrate the kind of conduct that would be in line with the agreement signed in Moscow. To protect the enforcement of international law, we urgently need an abrupt reaction by the international community, including France and the EU. I officially asked the French foreign minister about the Armenian POWs’ return. And I will remain extremely vigilant when it comes to this very important issue,” she said.