BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 22. On June 18, the French Le Point political magazine published a so-called letter addressed to President Emmanuel Macron, in which French citizens urged their leader to provide additional support to Armenia - specifically, to send French troops to aid the "sister" nation.
Among the signatories are the well-known "defender" of Armenian rights, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, along with former politicians, artists, media figures, and other "friends" of Armenia.
Jean-Michel Brun, Chief Editor of the Paris-based La Gazette du Caucase online newspaper in his article revealed who these ardent defenders of Armenians are and what their true goals might be.
"In the magazine Le Point, known for its Islamophobic covers and summaries, French "prominent figures" have written a "letter" to President Emmanuel Macron, urging him to send French armed forces to Armenia. This letter is a collection of clichés cherished by the defenders of a mythical "Christian West": the evil Turks, and the hatred of Azerbaijan. This is likely because Azerbaijan embodies everything supremacists hate: cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism," the author said.
This group of French individuals is primarily "concerned" that Azerbaijan might attack Armenia at any moment, and they believe Armenia needs urgent protection. Jean-Michel Brun rightly pointed out that, unlike neighboring Armenia, Azerbaijan has never seized a piece of land from another country.
"Azerbaijan, where a diverse array of peoples, cultures, and religions thrive and coexist, stands in stark contrast to Armenia. For example, the Jewish community in Azerbaijan feels more protected than almost anywhere else in the world. Meanwhile, Armenia is mono-ethnic and homogeneous. During the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Armenia expelled 350,000 Azerbaijanis who had lived there for centuries. In 2023, Armenia made headlines by burning the country’s only synagogue. Furthermore, one of Armenia’s national heroes, whose statue prominently stands in major cities, is Nzhdeh Garegin, a true Nazi," the author said.
Jean-Michel Brun concluded by saying that it seems the letter's signatories are defending not Armenia itself, but rather Armenian ultra-nationalists who fantasize about a "Greater Armenia".
"And that’s likely what’s happening. The media is brainwashing the French public, with newspapers consistently promoting the views of the Armenian far-right, which vilifies the Armenian Prime Minister. This narrative is echoed by certain French politicians who see it as a reflection of their own supremacist and Islamophobic ideologies. It's not surprising to find, at the bottom of the page alongside the names of Armenian activists, the names of those who constantly attack Muslims in media publications and either deny or diminish the significance of state-sponsored Islamophobia," the article reads.
Sure, it's no surprise to see such strong support recently from the French political community for Armenia. Macron's party took a big hit in the recent parliamentary elections, so they're scrambling to win back some votes however they can. And the votes from the Armenian diaspora are a big deal. But will it be enough?