French arms sales spark controversy in Caucasus

A cold conflict intensifies between France and Azerbaijan. And the latest twist in the tit-for-tat dispute raises the prospect of a resumption of conflict in the Caucasus.

On June 18, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu announcement the sale of 36 Caesar self-propelled howitzers in Armenia. The move immediately sparked vitriolic reactions from Azerbaijan and Russia. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry called the sale a “provocative” move that could revive the region as a “hotbed of war.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova echoed the Azerbaijani speech, saying that “Paris is provoking a new round of armed confrontations in the South Caucasus, and they are doing it in different ways.”

The Armenian Foreign Ministry brushed aside these criticisms by issuing a statement saying that “it is the sovereign right of every country to have a combat-ready army, equipped with modern military equipment.”

In recent days, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has reported several cases in which Armenian forces allegedly fired on Azerbaijani positions along the border between the two countries. Yerevan has denied allegations that it started an exchange of fire. At the same time, reports in state media in Azerbaijan have hinted at the growing risk of a resumption of conflict; a comment published on June 22 by the official APA news agency raised the possibility of a “Third Karabakh War”.

“Armenian leaders, who have not drawn any conclusions from their successive defeats in the military and diplomatic spheres, have begun to adopt an unconstructive approach,” the APA commentary said. He then pointed the finger at France as provoking the confrontation in the Caucasus.

“In the 21st century, France, which still has the status of a shameful neocolonial state, is trying to play the provocative role it plays on a global scale, in the processes taking place in the South Caucasus region” , according to APA.

As the APA press release points out, Azerbaijan's acerbic response is linked to Baku's deep antipathy towards France, rooted in Paris' strong support for Armenia throughout three decades struggle for control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a conflict that ended late last year with the decisive defeat of Azerbaijan. Armenian forces and the cleansing of the Armenian population of Karabakh.

This reaction is also linked to a series of events since the start of 2024, during which France and Azerbaijan have alternately opposed each other. In March, for example, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Paris, offering unambiguous political support for Armenia's territorial integrity and its efforts to improve relations with the West.

Angered by what it perceived as further interference in the Karabakh peace process, Azerbaijan reportedly helped stoke the independence sentiment that led to violent protests in May in the French Pacific colony. New Caledonia. Baku denied French allegations of involvement, but Azerbaijani media began attacking France's “neocolonial” behavior.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appeared to throw a blow at France in early June when he raised the possibility of Azerbaijan creating a development fund to help small island nations.

The sale of howitzers can be seen as a moment when France applauds Baku. But a feud that until now was mostly limited to verbal sniping has now reached a point where, if not handled well, it could prompt real bullets to start flying in the Caucasus again.

By Eurasianet.org

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