France's ill-advised policy spurs new Armenian-Azerbaijani war Azerbaijani ambassador talks to German media

Azerbaijan has criticised the military aid to Armenia announced by France, warning of a deterioration in relations.

"We consider this policy very short-sighted and believe that France should support the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, instead of contributing to a new war," Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Germany, Nasimi Aghayev, said in an interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Caliber.Az reports.

At the end of last year, France announced its intention to support Armenia with arms and equipment, and according to the Azerbaijani side, the first armoured vehicles from France have already arrived in Armenia. Ambassador Aghayev stated that this does not contribute to Azerbaijan's desired peace treaty with Armenia, and criticised France's sacrifice of European interests for the sake of domestic political interests as unreasonable and inappropriate.

France's solidarity with Armenia is conditioned by the presence of a large Armenian diaspora of some 600,000 people. The Armenian community in France is considered to be well-organised and influential in domestic politics. France also publicly distanced itself from Azerbaijan after the 44-day Second Karabakh War in 2020, during which Baku regained much of the Armenian-occupied territory.

"Since then, there have been tensions between our countries, the roots of which lie in France's attitude towards Azerbaijan," Aghayev said.

On January 17, the French Senate passed another anti-Azerbaijani resolution.

"We consider it unjust and not in line with international law," Ahgayev said.

At the end of December, Azerbaijan expelled two French diplomats for activities incompatible with their status, which could be interpreted as accusations of spying.

The search for a peace agreement between Yerevan and Baku has stalled, partly because of disagreements over a planned transport corridor between western Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, home to some 450,000 Azerbaijanis. Yerevan says the corridor, with its railway and motorway, should be under Armenian control.

Baku, on the other hand, demands uncontrolled traffic to Nakhchivan, which is only 45 kilometres from Azerbaijan's western regions, citing the 2020 Trilateral Declaration, which provides for unimpeded traffic.

"Cargo, citizens and vehicles travelling from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan should be able to pass freely without control and customs," Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told domestic TV channels last week. - If they do not open the route I mentioned, we will not open the border with Armenia and other places. Then they will do more harm than good".

Baku has repeatedly pointed out that some 250,000 Azerbaijanis were expelled from Armenia in the late 1980s, writes RND.