ArmInfo. A number of MEPs have issued a Joint Statement concerning the reaction to the Armenia-France military-technical cooperation by Azerbaijani and Russian officials.
Recently, France and Armenia signed a contract in the context of military-technical cooperation, which triggered an arrogant reaction by Russia, in sync with Azerbaijan.
The statement reads:
We remind (you) that the sovereign right of every state to maintain combat-capable armed forces equipped with modern military assets. Both regimes accused France of fuelling conflict in the South Caucasus region, which once again highlights that there is a certain collusion between both countries, that resulted in the ethnic cleansing of more than 140 000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh in September of 2023. This collusion is ongoing and the European Commission and the EEAS are closing their eyes to it. It is bewildering that authoritarian and aggressor countries like Azerbaijan and Russia condemn EU Member States like France in "seeking to use existing disagreements, contradictions within countries or between countries as a tool to achieve its own opportunistic goals." This in no way can be acceptable by the European Union and it is high time to impose sanctions on the dictatorial Aliyev regime for its destructive actions in undermining regional peace and security, and human rights abuses. We strongly condemn the official statements of Baku and Moscow and call on the Commission and the EEAS to react immediately to this situation.
The statement was signed by: Miriam Lexmann MEP (EPP, Slovakia) Francois-Xavier Bellamy MEP (EPP, France) Charlie Weimers MEP (ECR, Sweden) Nathalie Loiseau MEP (Renew, France) Costas Mavrides MEP (S&D, Cyprus) Raphael Glucksmann MEP (S&D, France) Rasa Jukneviciene MEP (EPP, Lithuania) Andrius Kubilius MEP (EPP, Lithuania) Christophe Gomart MEP (EPP, France) Loucas Fourlas MEP (EPP, Cyprus) Celine Imart MEP (EPP, France) Bert-Jan Ruissen MEP (ECR, Netherlands) Petras Austrevicius MEP (Renew, Lithuania) Laurent Castillo MEP (EPP, France) Marketa Gregorova MEP (Greens-EFA, Czechia)