French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies said on Monday that the Armenian town of Goris is located in the heart of the country’s geopolitics and has strategic significance.
“Your presence here in Goris at this important moment is proof that Goris has strategic importance,” he said at the Armenia-France Forum on Decentralized Cooperation.
“It is a town which is located in the heart of Armenia’s geopolitics. Goris was the first town to host the displaced population of Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a town building peace in the region, which has always been at the crossroads, and its activity has always been aimed at building peace. Goris will once again become a crossroads, and our presence here is very meaningful,” the French Ambassador said.
He said that the strategic significance of decentralized ties between the two countries is associated with the developments of the past few years.
The Ambassador reminded the audience that decentralized cooperation existed even before Armenia regained independence: In 1968, the French commune of Bagneux and the Armenian town of Vanadzor became sister cities.