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French Arms Supplies to Armenia Pose Practical Threat to Azerbaijan: President Aliyev

By Timucin Turksoy December 19, 2024

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President Ilham Aliyev talks to Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency in Baku, Azerbaijan, December 18, 2024 / President.Az

The weapons supplied by France to Armenia are offensive, lethal, and pose a practical threat to Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev stated in a recent interview with Rossiya Segodnya International News Agency, AZERTAC reported.

"Given the fact that our border with Armenia is more than a thousand kilometers long, many settlements are close to the border and former refugees are returning to most of these settlements, we, of course, cannot be mere bystanders in this process," President Aliyev said. "We have repeatedly informed Armenia and its patrons in the U.S. State Department that this must be stopped. But unfortunately, we have not been heard, and the process of arming Armenia is going on at an alarmingly fast pace."

President Aliyev highlighted France’s leading position in arming Armenia followed by India and the United States. France and India, according to him, openly admit to supplying lethal weapons to Armenia, however, the US does not acknowledge its involvement although American military transport planes have been tracked landing at Armenia's airports and delivering weapons. The president elaborated that Armenia’s acquisition of Western weapons either free of charge or on credit will not help keep up with Azerbaijan in an arms race.

"We naturally had to take adequate measures. Our military budget for 2025 will be record high. It is about five billion dollars. We are forced to do that. We would not spend at least 60 percent of this amount if there were no such threats. We would spend it on the reconstruction of Karabakh, on social payments, etc. But we are forced to do it and we will do it,” he said.

The government of Armenia has signed several arms supply agreements, including with France and India, to rebuild and enhance its military capabilities, which incurred significant damage during the 44-day war with Azerbaijan four years ago. According to Azerbaijani sources, around $5 billion worth of Armenian military equipment was destroyed and captured by the Azerbaijani forces during the clashes in the Karabakh region.

France has been actively engaged in Armenia’s post-2020 military build-up. Starting in November 2023, France has been supplying military hardware to Armenia, including over 21 units of “Bastion” multi-purpose armored personnel carriers and its components of the French “ARQUUS” brand, which have been seen unloaded for transit in the Poti port of Georgia last year.

The “Mistral” short-range surface-to-air missiles and three radar systems are also reportedly on the export list. Some 50 units of “VAB MK3” medium-weight combat-proven armored vehicles could also be part of the contracts, according to reports.

Meanwhile, in June, Yerevan and Paris signed an agreement for the supply of French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzers to the Armenian army. Baku criticized this move, seeing it as a potential trigger for future Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan. Caesar is reportedly among the most advanced artillery systems in the world, with a firing range of over 40 kilometers that enables accurate and long-range fire support.

France’s Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu has also confirmed military training for Armenian officers by French specialists to operate the military equipment and assist in the ongoing reforms of the Armenian armed forces.

For the coming year, Armenia set a record-high military budget, reflecting its ongoing efforts to intensify militarization. In 2025, this figure will reach 6% of its GDP, exceeding $1.7 billion – a significant 20% increase compared to the previous year.

Azerbaijan also announced around AZN 8.4 billion, or $4.9 billion, for the next year’s defense and national security spending.