BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17. On July 14, Paris revealed the latest recipients of the Legion of Honor, with Franck Murad Papazian, co-chairman of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF), among those recognized.
This award for "outstanding achievements" and "personal merits to the nation" has been granted to Armenians before. We reported previously that Pastor René Léonian, president of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches of Eurasia and a vocal advocate of Armenian separatism, was also honored with this title.
Jean-Michel Brun, chief editor of the Paris-based online newspaper La Gazette du Caucase, exposes Papazian's activities and the real reasons behind French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's decision to bestow this "honor".
"There is no doubt that Papazian received this award because of his representation of the Armenian diaspora, not for his business acumen. He is a fervent supporter of the 'Armenianization' of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh and one of the most influential Armenian lobbyists in France. Through his 38 journalism schools across the country, he spreads the views of Armenian separatists among future journalists," Brun writes.
The author also highlighted that Papazian is seen as a fierce opponent of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, openly criticizing the current Armenian government and potentially seeking to overthrow it. "Papazian even orchestrated an attack on Nikol Pashinyan's convoy during his visit to France on June 1, 2021, resulting in a two-year entry ban to Armenia. After the ban was lifted, Papazian met with his religious rival, Bagrat Serpazan, to discuss toppling the Armenian government."
"Sources close to Armenian circles reveal that Murad Papazian was outraged that his friend Gabriel Attal awarded the Legion of Honor to Pastor René Léonian instead of him. Therefore, Attal decided to correct this 'injustice' before leaving office," the article reads.
Brun further suggests that Emmanuel Macron's approval of Papazian's medal could be perceived as a snub to the Armenian government. "It's quite likely that Macron wanted to send a positive signal to the Armenian community, whose support he might seek again in future elections," the author concludes.