France defends controversial social media post on Türkiye's Mount Agri by foreign minister

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) – France on Thursday tried to defend a controversial social media post on Armenia seeming to tacitly support the territorial ambitions of ultranationalist Armenians.

The Tuesday post on X by Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, amid her visit to Armenia this week, showed a photo of Mount Agri (Ararat in English), a locale well established as belonging to Türkiye, in the country’s east, but which some Armenians nonetheless covet as part of their country.

At a Foreign Ministry press briefing in Paris, a spokesperson was asked by Anadolu if France believes the mountain belongs to Armenia – was Colonna “misinformed” on this matter – and was she unaware that such a post would upset many Turkish people.

"Mount Agri is a symbolic scene when looked at from Armenia" – as it is near the border – spokeswoman Anna-Claire Legendre said in response.

The photo was posted on the occasion of Colonna’s visit to Armenia, she said, adding that Armenia has no territorial ambitions, and France is clear about this.

Earlier Serdar Kilic, Türkiye's special envoy for dialogue with Armenia, stressed that the mountain is well within the Turkish borders.

"I am afraid you are either confused about the goal of your visit to Armenia or you need basic geography education," he said in reference to Colonna.

Türkiye and Armenia have long had strained relations, though the mutual appointment of special envoys in December 2021 was a step meant to improve ties.

The border between the Republic of Türkiye and Armenia was established under the Treaty of Kars over 100 years ago, in 1921.