France to Continue Supplying Arms to Armenia Amid Deterioration of Relations with Azerbaijan: Bloomberg

Azerbaijan is escalating its conflict with France by stirring tensions in French territories across the Pacific, Caribbean, and Latin America, citing Paris's arms supplies to Yerevan. This was reported by Bloomberg.

The Baku Initiative Group, linked to the Azerbaijani government, is advocating for an end to France's influence in its numerous overseas territories by supporting independence-seeking activists in places like French Polynesia and New Caledonia, the source notes.

“The world today is witnessing what the French state is doing in these colonized territories,” said group leader Abbas Abasov in an interview.

According to Bloomberg, the confrontation is expected to intensify as France, home to the world's third-largest Armenian diaspora, has signed a military supply contract with Yerevan.

“Paris is expected to maintain military support for Armenia regardless of the outcomes of President Emmanuel Macron's snap parliamentary elections,” predicts journalist Henry Meyer, noting that Azerbaijan itself has spent billions buying weapons from foreign powers such as Turkey, Israel, and Russia. This has aided Baku in waging two wars against Nagorno-Karabakh since 2020.

“Azerbaijan is outraged that Armenia has received arms from France and has reacted sharply to it,” said Zaur Shiriyev, a researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Berlin.

The source points out that this escalation occurs against the backdrop of the European Union's challenges in implementing a deal to double gas imports from Azerbaijan, with member countries unwilling to finance pipeline capacity expansions and establish long-term contracts.

“There is significant pushback in the EU regarding this deal due to concerns about fossil fuels and human rights,” said expert Fook Vin Nguyen from the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris.

Bloomberg reminds that in April, the European Parliament passed a resolution urging the bloc to consider halting its energy partnership with Azerbaijan due to the situation of political prisoners in the country.

“There is geopolitical gravity. You cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening there,” Nguyen emphasized, highlighting Azerbaijan's use of force in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as President Ilham Aliyev's family dynasty and the frequently criticized human rights situation.

The publication notes that the dispute between Baku and Paris has reached a nadir in the New Caledonia archipelago, where mass unrest erupted against Macron's government over a controversial bill that did not sit well with independence supporters in New Caledonia. This resulted in several weeks of protests, arson, looting, and riots in May, during which some protesters waved Azerbaijani flags. Subsequently, France accused Azerbaijan of pouring oil on the fire and inciting unrest.

“Azerbaijan's actions are clearly negative for France. The Azerbaijanis are trying to force France to either withdraw or reduce the support it provides to Armenia,” said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Another example of the deteriorating relations was Azerbaijan's expulsion of two French diplomats in December, which drew a reciprocal response. Moreover, Azerbaijan arrested a businessman from France on spying charges and ordered the closure of a French school in Baku.

“France considers Azerbaijan’s behavior to be extremely unfriendly and aggressive. Nevertheless, it will continue to arm Armenia,” stated Dorothy Schmid, an expert at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris.

France's Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated on June 18 that France will sell self-propelled howitzers to Armenia. Additionally, France has already committed to supplying radars, anti-aircraft defense systems, and armored personnel carriers.