Azerbaijan condemns delivery of armored vehicles by France to Armenia

Published November 13,2023

Subscribe

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Monday strongly condemned deliveries of Bastion offensive armored autos by France to Armenia.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada stated in a press release that the switch of the navy gear to Yerevan will serve the “destructive actions of Armenia.”

“These steps by France … puts under serious question the efforts for normalization of relations based on the respect for and recognition of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and international borders of countries in the region, thus serving to destabilization of the situation,” he stated.

Besides reinforcing Armenia’s navy capabilities, France concurrently continues the smear marketing campaign towards Azerbaijan, in line with the spokesman.

“These steps, which add to the militarization of Armenia, attest to the fact of France’s erroneous interests in the region,” he emphasised.

Armenia and France ought to finish armament and militarization coverage, and perceive that there isn’t a various to peace and stability within the area, he careworn.

“We call upon the international community to refrain from delivering weapons and creating conditions for such a delivery to Armenia, which is known as a country with its aggressive policy and actions, and to end and condemn such illegitimate activities that prevent the establishment of peace and prosperity in the region,” Hajizada added.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian navy occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally acknowledged as a part of Azerbaijan, and 7 adjoining areas.

Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan throughout a conflict within the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace settlement and in addition opened the door to normalization.

This September, the Azerbaijani military initiated an anti-terrorism operation in Karabakh to ascertain a constitutional order, after which unlawful separatist forces within the area surrendered.