Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev yesterday warned France and India against providing Armenia with weapons, saying such supplies could trigger a new war in the region.

“Countries who now supply Armenia with weapons, like France and India, are pouring oil on fire and create unrealistic illusions in Armenia that using these weapons they can take back Karabagh,” Aliyev is quoted as saying as he addressed a forum entitled "Karabagh: Back Home After 30 Years: Accomplishments and Challenges" in Baku.

Azerbaijan “will have to react to protect its people” should Armenia start receiving “serious installations” from France and India, Aliyev said.

 Armenia recently doubled its order of Bastion armored personnel carriers (APC) from France.

In October, Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan and the French Thales Group in Paris, signed a contract that will deliver three GM (Grand Master) 200 radar units to Armenia. In addition, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Papikyan signed a “letter of intent” on the future delivery of Mistral short-range surface-to-air missiles to Armenia.

In November, Hetq wrote that the Indian multinational Baharat Forge has confirmed that it will supply Armenia with MArG 155 self-propelled howitzers.

Photo: Press office of the President of Azerbaijan