France’s support to Armenia escalates tension in Caucasus
French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejournet’s accusation of aggression against Azerbaijan while declaring support for Armenia draws backlash from Baku
French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejournet issued a statement on Tuesday expressing France’s commitment to defending Armenia, drawing criticism from Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan has accused France of impeding the normalization processes in the Caucasus by supplying arms to Armenia.
Armenia is seeking new security allies in an effort to shift away from reliance on Russia and toward the West. This shift has accelerated since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, with Armenia rapidly severing ties with Russia. Paris is pleased with the evolving partnership with Yerevan, largely due to France’s substantial arms sales to Armenia.
Additionally, France perceives that Russia, preoccupied with the conflict in Ukraine, is not monitoring developments in the Caucasus. Paris endeavors to fill the region’s power vacuum by enhancing its ties with Yerevan.
According to Azerbaijan, France’s provision of arms to Armenia is seen as undermining the peace process by potentially preparing Armenia for conflict. This stance reflects Azerbaijan’s concerns about the impact of military support on the stability and progress of negotiations between the two countries.
Azerbaijan perceives Sejournet’s statements on Tuesday as escalating tension. It believes that such statements embolden politicians in Yerevan who advocate for the reoccupation of Karabakh, further complicating the peace process and regional stability.
In his statement, Sejournet said, “Armenian territories are under threat from Azerbaijan. Armenia is very important to us, and we will always protect Armenia.”
Azerbaijan reacts to France
Following Sejournet’s statements, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying, “France’s aggressive statements toward our country are unacceptable. It is well known to everyone that the policy of covering up Armenia’s aggression by countries like France over the past 30 years has not worked.”
Additionally, the ministry emphasized that statements coming from France harm Armenia’s credibility.
