The Ministry expressed serious concerns over France’s provision of lethal and offensive weapons to Armenia, describing it as a provocative move that destabilizes the South Caucasus region.
According to the statement, despite previous warnings from Azerbaijan, France’s actions reflect a deliberate attempt to undermine peace and security in the region. “Last October, the French Ministry of Defense claimed that the military equipment supplied to Armenia was for defensive purposes. However, the current military deal equipping Armenia with lethal weapons is another manifestation of the duplicity of the French leadership,” the statement read.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense criticized the Macron regime for its policies of militarization and geopolitical intrigue, accusing it of hindering the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan and obstructing the establishment of lasting peace. The Ministry highlighted that France, which has been excluded from normalization and regional processes due to its biased policies, continues to pursue a disruptive agenda in the South Caucasus.
“Armenia is a state that has committed military aggression and occupation against Azerbaijan. The re-arming of Armenia, a country with a history of bloody military aggression, and the support of its revanchist policies by France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is not only political irresponsibility but also a path leading to a new war,” the statement emphasized.
The Ministry also drew attention to France’s historical and ongoing actions as a colonial power, citing examples from New Caledonia and other overseas territories. It condemned France for exploiting local populations, plundering natural resources, altering demographic compositions through racist policies, and suppressing protests with violence. The statement accused the Macron regime of continuing this legacy by conducting a propaganda and disinformation campaign against Azerbaijan instead of addressing its colonial past and neocolonial practices.
In conclusion, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense declared that the responsibility for any escalation of tensions in the South Caucasus and the potential outbreak of a new conflict would lie with the revanchist policies of the Armenian leadership and the Macron administration. “We declare that the responsibility for the escalation of tensions in the South Caucasus region and the emergence of a new war zone will fully lie with the revanchist policies of the Armenian leadership and the Macron dictatorship,” the statement concluded.
