French Defense Minister Stressed Priority To Help Armenia Protect Its Civilians in the Event of an Attack

Armenia's Minister of Defense, Suren Papikyan, welcomed France’s Minister for the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, during an official visit to Armenia. The visit, which began with an official welcoming ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Yerevan, highlighted the growing cooperation between the two nations in the defense sector.

The ceremony, complete with a guard of honor, a military band, and the playing of the national anthems of both Armenia and France, set the scene for discussions on various aspects of defense collaboration. 

Papikyan emphasized the expanding bilateral defense cooperation between Armenia and France, spanning a wide range of domains. In a joint press briefing with Minister Lecornu, Papikyan outlined the comprehensive assistance provided by France in Armenia's military reforms, education, training, modernization of armed forces, and technico-military cooperation.

One of the focal points of the discussions was the Mistral short-range missiles. Lecornu revealed plans for the delivery of GM 200 radars to Armenia and discussed the ease of training personnel in using these defensive weapons. Highlighting the importance of air defense, Lecornu stressed that their priority is to help Armenia protect its civilians in the event of an attack.

Responding to questions about geopolitical implications, Lecornu dismissed the idea of big geopolitical issues, stating that the threats Armenia faces necessitate discussions on defense. He affirmed France's readiness to support Armenia in the face of these threats, emphasizing strong political backing for the cooperation.

Lecornu assured that France would always consider Armenia's operational needs in matters of arms and defense. He highlighted the importance of control measures for effective border protection and clarified that everything used in the French army is made domestically, allowing for independent diplomacy.

The visit concluded with the signing of several agreements between the Armenian and French defense ministers. A joint statement for the press was issued, and the ministers planted a personalized fir at the Armenian Ministry of Defense premises. Minister Papikyan bid farewell to his French counterpart at the airport, marking the end of a significant chapter in strengthening defense ties between Armenia and France.