Azerbaijani official lambasts France's arming of Armenia as destabilizing South Caucasus

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, has expressed strong criticism of France's approach to the South Caucasus.

According to APA, he described France's policy as ineffective and harmful, particularly condemning France's decision to arm Armenia.

Hajiyev emphasized that such actions undermine peace efforts and stability in the region, hindering the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

He highlighted concerns over France's support potentially emboldening extremist elements within Armenia, stating that arming a country with a history of aggression like Armenia is irresponsible, especially coming from a member of the UN Security Council.

"Armenia is an aggressive country in the South Caucasus. The arming of such a country is unacceptable," Hajiyev said.

It should be noted that on June 18, France and Armenia concluded a defence agreement, solidifying a deal for the provision of CAESAR howitzers.

The announcement came from French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu who underscored the deepening of defence ties between Paris and Yerevan, highlighting constructive discussions with Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.

The CAESAR (Camion Équipé d'un Système d'Artillerie) is a 155mm self-propelled howitzer mounted on a Renault Sherpa 10 truck chassis with an armoured cab, renowned for its mobility and firepower.