Ambassador Philippe Merlin of France hosted in Ashgabat on 14 July 2023 a reception to mark the Fête Nationale Française (The French National Day).
It is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789 during the French Revolution, also known as the Bastille Day.
Here is the speech of Ambassador Philippe Merlin in its entirety:
Dear Minister; Dear Turkmen friends; Dear French compatriots and nationals of our European Union partners; Dear colleagues from the diplomatic community;
My name is Philippe Merlin, and I am the new French ambassador to Turkmenistan. I have presented my credentials to His Excellency President Serdar Berdimouhamedow on June 19th. I have previously served as ambassador to this part of the world, in a number of countries including Afghanistan, and twice with the United Nations.
It is a great pleasure to invite you this evening to celebrate France’s national holiday, together with my colleagues from the small but dynamic and highly professional embassy team.
What we’re celebrating on July 14 isn’t actually Bastille Day, but rather the memory and legacy of the Confederation Day of July 14, 1790. One year after the start of the 1789 Revolution, this huge celebration brought the French together in a spirit of reconciliation and national harmony. What a program, surely to meditate on nowadays…
Being French ambassador to Turkmenistan is, of course, an honor and an exhilarating task.
There’s a long history between France and Turkmenistan, fueled by France’s passion for the vast region that inspired dreams of the “mysterious Orient”. The son of the famous photographer Nadar, Paul Nadar, brought back a remarkable series of photographs from a trip to what was then called Turkestan in 1890, available online at open heritage platform of the French Ministry of Culture; some can be seen at the Institut Français du Turkménistan in Ashgabat. [You can see some of them on the screen behind me]
Since President François MITTERRAND’s historic visit on April 27, 1994, almost thirty years ago, our relations have constantly developed. In particular, French companies have contributed their stone, if I may say so, to the construction of this astonishing capital city of Ashgabat. Bouygues Turkmen, for example, built the superb hotel that accommodate us this evening.
But being French ambassador to Turkmenistan in 2023 is also marked by a very tense environment. At the heart of the political relationship between our two countries is their shared membership of the United Nations, and respect for the commitments undertaken through the instruments and organizations of the UN family, including of course in the field of human rights.
France co-sponsored the General Assembly resolutions recognizing and confirming Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality. We adhere to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter: respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and rejection of the crime of aggression. Unfortunately, Russia has been waging a devastating and inhuman war of aggression against Ukraine since February 24, 2022.
Fortunately, on a more positive note, the global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has receded. In this respect, I would like to pay tribute to the efforts of my predecessor, Ambassador Guisnel, who succeeded in maintaining links with the French community and our Turkmen interlocutors in these very difficult circumstances.
The framework has therefore been set for a new upswing in our relationship.
Political consultations between foreign ministries took place in 2023, paving the way for future dialogue between our political authorities.
The international branch of the French business organization, MEDEFi, which has signed a partnership agreement with the Turkmen Union of industrials and entrepreneurs, organized a highly successful mission on March 16 and 17 involving French and European companies such as Airbus, Alstom, Conseil santé, Dassault Aviation, Geismar, Poma SAS and Technip Energies. Also present were Bouygues, Thales, MBDA, Total Energies, CLAAS, Schneider Electric, IN Groupe, who are our generous sponsors this evening and whom I would like to thank in particular. And let’s not forget our Turkmen sponsors, Tylla Nal and the restaurant La Tartine.
France and its companies are ready to assist Turkmenistan on the development path it has chosen, in the fields of energy, including the remediation of methane emissions and renewable energies, agriculture, infrastructure and transport, in particular the strengthening of the median logistics corridor, the management of its precious water resources, and its security.
Relocated and more active than ever under the direction of Romain Gouvernet, the Institut français du Turkménistan, in addition to language learning, animates the Francophonie network (some fifteen embassies and companies, some twenty local establishments) and opens fields through debates and new forms of artistic expression, some in cooperation with our friends from the Delegation of the European Union and Germany.
Visit it, use it!
More than ever, for the integrity and independence of Central Asian countries, responsible access to energy sources and East-West connectivity, Turkmenistan is a key player in the stability, independence and sustainable development of the region, and an essential partner of the European Union and its Member States. France will be at its side.
Victor Hugo wrote: “July 14th is the festival of all nations”.
So let it be ours tonight !
Vive la Republique!
Vive la France !
Vive l’amitié Franco-Turkmène !
/// nCa, 15 July 2023
Here are some pictures from the occasion:
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