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French Ambassador to Azerbaijan: France remains resolute to see the Nagorno Karabakh peace process through - INTERVIEW

French Ambassador to Azerbaijan: France remains resolute to see the Nagorno Karabakh peace process through - <font color=red>INTERVIEW</font>

13 July 2011 09:33 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva â€“ APA. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Azerbaijan Gabriel Kellerâ€™s interview to APA on the occasion of the National Holiday of France - Bastille Day

- How do you estimate the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France?

- The relations between both countries are excellent and in full development. But whether in the political, economic or cultural fields, we have several projects to achieve together. Contacts are frequent and economic and cultural projects are promising. France is looking forward to help the country in its development and to share its experience in the mentioned fields.

- What cultural projects does France realize in Azerbaijan?

- The cultural projects are now implemented by the â€œInstitut FranÃ§ais dâ€™AzerbaÃ¯djanâ€, the new name of the French cultural center located Fuzuli street. Many projects are common projects with the Azerbaijanese institutions and NGOs (concerts, master classes, lectures). Our main goal is to create a new synergy and to open that French space to different kinds of audiences even to non-French-speaking people. But the Institut FranÃ§ais remains the place where to study French language in Baku: students, kids, adults, public servants, attend the Institute for this purpose.

Moreover, the Presidents of both countries have decided on the foundation of a French school in Baku. Discussions are ongoing for the creation of this establishment which will be of the utmost importance for the development of relations between both countries.
I can add that these discussions are well advanced, thanks to the personal implication of the First Lady. SOCAR is very much involved since it will play a major role in the construction of the school. Thus a larger number of French will be able to come to work in Azerbaijan knowing that the education of their children will be insured. Furthermore, Azerbaijani students graduated from the French school will be in a position to attend French universities. As you can see, the biggest part of the action of this Embassy is to increase cooperation with Azerbaijan. Learning French language is one of the ways to do it. Thatâ€™s why French Embassy offers for example language courses to many Azerbaijani administrations.

- How many Azerbaijan students study in France at the moment?

- There are three different types of students in France: students with a scholarship of the Azerbaijani government, students with a scholarship of the French government and student who pay for their own studies. Most of them are studying law, economy, political sciences, the others joined faculties of chemistry, biology, business, French language, even musicology. Almost 150-200 students are now in France (the vagueness of the figure is due to the fact that those who go to France by their own means donâ€™t inform us systematically). The vast majority study in French language (95%), the remaining 5% in English.

- President Nicolas Sarkozy was planning to visit Azerbaijan. When will this visit take place? Any other official visits to Azerbaijan in near future?

-The French President has indeed announced his intention to visit Azerbaijan. I do not yet have the official information on the date. You know of course that France is presiding this year over the G8/G20, which places strong constraints on the presidential agenda.

However, bilateral visits are taking place continuously. This year, for the first time, two French ministers visited Baku: Mr. Mariani, minister of Transport and Mr. de Raincourt, minister of Cooperation. In the opposite direction, Mr. Abbasov has met with his French counterpart in Paris and Mr. Kamaleddin Heydarov has also visited Paris. Mr. Mammadyarov, minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan went to Paris on July 7th to meet with Mr. Alain Juppe, minister of State and minister of Foreign and European Affairs.

The frequency and the level of these exchanges indicate that we have a lot to discuss and there is no lack for areas of cooperation.

- What is the commodity turnover between our countries? Has the financial crisis impacted on it?

- The Financial crisis and the rise in the price of hydrocarbons diminished the French imports from Azerbaijan in 2008. But a positive trend occurred in 2009, trade between both countries is in the region of 2 billion $ each year. French firms wish to participate in the economic diversification of Azerbaijan for which large financial resources are available. Thus the presence of French-know-how in the sectors of aeronautics, ecology, space research, public transport, etc.

In the gas and petroleum field which, as you know, represents the backbone of Azerbaijan economy, French firms are equally present: Total naturally, from the very beginning, explores presently the Apsheron gas block. More recently GDF-Suez arrived in Azerbaijan.

The presence of these giants of the French industry proves the profound interest of France in the development of this country.

- When will the next meeting of Azerbaijan-France intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation take place and what issues are planned to be discussed?

- All the activities I have pointed out are on the agenda of the next Joint Economic and Commercial Commission which will be held in Paris next autumn. It will be co-chaired by Mr. Samir Sharifov, minister of Finance of the republic of Azerbaijan.

- In Kazan presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia did not sign an agreement on basic principles of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, as it was expected. So do you think this meeting was a failure in negotiations? And does France/President of France have any plans to strengthen its activity as a mediator in negotiation process on Nagorno-Karabakh?

-Of course we were disappointed that the Kazan Summit did not achieve the hope for results. But according to the participants themselves, some progress was achieved. At least expectations of both parties are clearer, so are the priority points on which to concentrate. It is a question of whether the glass is half full or half empty. What is important is that both parties agree on continuing the negotiation, which is the sole way to resolve the problem. It implies courage on both sides.

I have noted with satisfaction that both sides have agreed that it was necessary to better prepare public opinions to the unavoidable compromises to come. The party which would pretend to have successfully scored on all points would have to choose between deceiving its public or undermining the peace process. The gains from 2006 are incontestable and the Madrid principles on which agreement has almost been reached, represent a breakthrough, the abandoning of which would be irresponsible.
France, by the actions of its President and the experience of the French Co-President of the Minsk Group, shows that it is strongly engaged in the peace process. Accordingly, French Foreign minister Alain Juppe has reaffirmed last Thursday to Azerbaijani Foreign minister Mammadyarov, that France remains resolute to see the peace process through.