France (Washington Insider Magazine) —The need for robust security and defense mechanisms has become more crucial in an ever-evolving world. From protecting nations to ensuring the safety of individuals and their assets, security and defense play a pivotal role in shaping our collective future.
Security and defense encompass various elements, from military strategies to cybersecurity measures. In the modern context, it’s about physical borders and virtual frontiers. Nations and organizations must navigate a complex landscape of potential threats, requiring a multifaceted approach to ensure comprehensive protection.
Armenia has been isolated, especially after its most recent war with Azerbaijan, without the backing of its treaty ally Russia and with few viable alternatives to take Moscow’s position as security guarantor. Nonetheless, France has taken steps to strengthen its ties with Yerevan, announcing a number of arms transactions in recent weeks and sending ACMAT Bastion armored personnel carriers (APCs) to the nation in the southern Caucasus over the weekend.
Regional media outlets report that France shipped 21 Bastion APCs to Armenia on Sunday. Although the specifics of the contract are unknown, these are purportedly from the same set of 24 Bastions that were initially promised to Ukraine.
The APC delivery coincides with France’s efforts to strengthen Armenia’s air defense capabilities. The contract for the acquisition of three Thales GM 200 radars was signed by Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan late last month while on a visit to France. The two parties also signed a memorandum of understanding that should result in the sale of Mistral short-range air defense systems. The contract for the Bastions might have also been signed since they were already produced.
An intriguing aspect of the APC cargo is that it seems to have been sent through the port of Poti in Georgia. The Azeri media (Caliber. Az) first reported on this development, highlighting the logistics and asserting that Tbilisi has previously prevented arms shipments from France to Armenia from passing through its territory.
Later, RFE/RL’s Georgian language service obtained a statement from APM Terminals Poti, verifying the delivery through the port.
In this instance, the cargo was delivered to Armenia, a nation exempt from sanctions, after being received from France, an EU member state. Furthermore, APM Terminals Poti is not allowed to unjustifiably refuse to accept cargo in the absence of explicit directives and limitations from the Georgian government Poti APM Terminals.
Baku promptly denounced the relocation of Bastion, claiming that it was contributing to the “destabilization of the situation” in the area. The Azeri government urged the international world to abstain from arming the Armenian military.
The rearmament of Armenia comes after multiple recent setbacks in conflicts with Azerbaijan concerning the disputed area of Nagorno-Karabakh, where Armenia supported the previous government until it was overthrown in September. Over the course of six weeks, an attack by Azeri troops into Nagorno-Karabakh three years ago managed to seize roughly half of the territory of the separatist republic, including strategic heights that overlooked the capital city.
The battle was brought to a halt by Russian intervention. Still, on September 19, Azerbaijan reignited the conflict, forcing the Karabakh administration to surrender the next day since Moscow was preoccupied with events in Ukraine.
Following the conflict, Armenia has been worried that Azeri aspirations extend beyond its boundaries. Azerbaijan and its exclave, Nakhchivan, are divided by the Armenian province of Syunik. Yerevan is concerned that Azerbaijan may attempt to establish the “Zangezur corridor” by force in order to connect with the exclave. For its part, Azerbaijan disputes any aspirations it may have for Armenian territory.
On October 25, a senior foreign policy advisor to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev told Reuters that Baku might instead speak with Iran about building an economic corridor to Nakhchivan rather than pursuing military alternatives if discussions with Armenia fail. Hikmet Hajiyev, the advisor, stated that “Azerbaijan had no plans to seize Zangezur.”
If it turns out to be untrue, Armenia will have no allies to protect itself because the CSTO has been noticeably missing from recent fights with Azerbaijan, even before Russia invaded Ukraine. As a result, Yerevan has been making an effort to strengthen its position, increasing its defense budget and obtaining what weapons it can from allies.
