Armenia, France discuss peace talks, ink bilateral cooperation deals PHOTO

On May 26, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with a French delegation led by Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues.

The discussions focused on infrastructure development, attracting investments, and launching new joint initiatives, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional developments, particularly the latest developments surrounding the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Following the meeting, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot signed three official documents.

The first was a declaration of intent outlining annual consultations between the two countries’ foreign ministries, joint efforts to combat disinformation, and programs for diplomatic retraining.

The second was a protocol amending the existing agreement on the establishment and operation of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Company for the Promotion and Participation in Economic Activities between the governments of Armenia and France. The amendments are intended to expand the agreement’s scope to include Expertise France, a public agency that will support Armenia’s local governments and state institutions.

The third document, a memorandum of understanding, was signed in the presence of the two foreign ministers by Goar Galyan, Acting Director of the Enterprise Armenia Foundation, and French Ambassador Olivier Decottignies, on behalf of Business France.

At a joint press conference in Yerevan, the ministers emphasised that Armenia and France intend to formalise and deepen their already strategic partnership.

By Tamilla Hasanova