Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the delegation led by French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecorneau, who arrived on an official visit to the Republic of Armenia.
Welcoming the delegation led by the Minister of Defense of France, the Prime Minister noted. “Dear Minister, I welcome you and your delegation to the Republic of Armenia. This is the first visit of you and, in general, the Minister of Defense of France to the Republic of Armenia, and it is already historic by this fact.
“Thank you for your support in forming our bilateral agenda and implementing that agenda. I emphasize that, of course, the changes taking place in our security situation and cooperation are logical and justified. Of course, by thanking you, I should also consider it logical that France is one of the first countries to respond to our decision to diversify our relations in the field of security because, as we had the opportunity to discuss in Paris two days ago, our relations are intense and multi-layered. It is logical that in defense and in the field of security, too, these relations must be expressed. The security component has always been present in our discussions with President Macron, and now I am glad that these discussions are getting a concrete expression, including with your support.
In his turn, Sebastian Lecornu noted. “Thank you for these words and reception. You thrilled the French with your presence at the Pantheon. This was a very unique week for our two republics. As I told the media representatives with whom I had just met, there was indeed a particular divide: on the one hand, the warm, friendly relations that we had, and on the defense sector, which was not yet fully realized.
Your relationship with the French president also plays a significant role in this progress. It’s based on trust, and our mutual trust as well. You, the Minister of Defense, and our teams have mapped a particular path for us. And taking into account the threats that hang over Armenia’s head, we are forced to move forward faster. That is, we need to react quickly and organize the steps.
A lot was already underway, but thanks to the bilateral relations and the meeting you had with President Macron, it allowed us to move forward this morning in the exact directions you indicated together in Paris.”
The interlocutors discussed the work carried out in the direction of defense cooperation and upcoming plans.
The parties emphasized Armenia-France cooperation within the framework of the reforms of the RA armed forces, including military education, combat training, and other directions.
Thoughts were also exchanged on issues related to regional security and stability.
