Ambassador: France sees no issue with Armenia`s CSTO membership and  is open to enhancing military cooperation

ArmInfo. France does not consider Armenia's membership in the CSTO as an obstacle to further military cooperation.This was stated by French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies in an interview with Hetq when asked about the issue.  He also recalled that the Armenian authorities refer to this membership as "frozen". "We do not see Armenia's membership in the CSTO as a hindrance to providing the Republic of Armenia with the required military equipment to safequard its people, territory and sovereignty. We have stated this and follow through. We made this clear to our partners, including our NATO allies. So there is no taboo for us. We are glad that other countries, such as India, have also begun military cooperation with Armenia. And we hope that more countries will join us," the French diplomat said. 

When asked if the contracts had been fully implemented, the French ambassador noted that he could not comment on delivery issues. At the same time, he emphasized that Armenian-French cooperation in this area is ongoing. "There have been multiple orders. There are new orders, including last year's for the CAESAR system. It is not just about signing an agreement, delivering weapons and moving on from Armenia. It is about supporting the Armenian army in its modernization process. Military equipment is just one aspect of this. Training and military doctrine are also crucial. We provide training Armenian soldiers both in Armenia and in France, and we offer consultations the RA Ministry of Defense," he explained.