Saturday, November 11 2023 12:40

ArmInfo.Every sovereign country has the ability to have an army and acquire weapons. Similarly, during a panel discussion at the 6th Paris Peace Conference, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded to the  Azerbaijani Ambassador to France Leyla Abdullayeva's remark about France's readiness to arm Armenia, which casts doubt on the peace settlement.

Addressing the ambassador, he noted that Azerbaijan also purchases a  huge amount of weapons.  "I would like to address the issue related  to France and Armenia. Every sovereign country has the ability to  have an army and acquire weapons, etc., etc.

Moderator, Special Advisor of Institut Montaigne Michel Duclos -  Every country has the right to defend itself."

"Yes, I said opportunity, I should have said right. Azerbaijan also  buys a huge amount of weapons. Azerbaijan's budget for acquiring  weapons is three times more than that of Armenia. But, in general, my  main message is what I have already said, if Azerbaijan reaffirms the  three principles that have already been agreed upon, it will mean  that the conclusion of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan in the coming  months will be more than realistic. Let's move forward," the Armenian  PM stressed.

Earlier French Defense Minister Sebastian Lecornu in an interview  with Le Parisien newspaper said that France will supply "a certain  number of weapons" to Armenia, including air defense systems.   According to Minister Lecornu, France will help Armenia "protect its  civilian population and ensure the protection of its borders." French  Minister emphasized that Armenia will acquire "a certain number of  weapons from French industrialists," in particular, to to ensure the  protection of its skies.

According to analysts, Armenia turned to France for  military-technical cooperation due to non-fulfillment of its arms  supply obligations by the Russian Federation, our country's strategic  ally. Back in May, official Yerevan announced a disruption in  supplies by the Russian side. Then Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan  Safaryan said that Yerevan did not receive the weapons ordered and  already paid for from Russia, and was refused to return the $400  million paid. Moscow stated that the contracts for the supply of  weapons had not yet been terminated.