The issue was discussed at the traditional annual meeting of ambassadors of the French Republic, during which the president underlines foreign policy priorities such as the directions of the strikes. It doesn’t come as a surprise that this time, Macron used the arena to voice his Napoleonic plans for the South Caucasus.
“This week I will have talks with Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev. We will demand full compliance with the agreements on the ‘Lachin Humanitarian Corridor’ and we will also launch a new diplomatic initiative in the international arena to increase pressure [obviously on Azerbaijan – ed.],” the French leader said.
That’s an excellent formulation. Attention should be drawn to the substitution of terminology: “Lachin humanitarian corridor” – is a concept that has never existed in any document. It is almost Macron’s own invention. With what he thinks is a clever trick, the French president is trying to solve several problems at once, first of all, to unite the legal and humanitarian issues.
Similarly, at the last meeting of the UN Security Council, the Armenian side did not present the topic of Baku’s policy’s compliance with the Trilateral Statement, focusing the attention of the audience on its alleged humanitarian consequences, namely the so-called famine in Garabagh. It is understandable, that Yerevan did not really want to play along with the Russian side in the presence of Western representatives.
Apparently, Macron had a different perspective and decided that Moscow could well be involved in the anti-Azerbaijani coalition. While the world community is becoming more and more aware of the existence of the Aghdam road and, consequently, the absence of preconditions for a humanitarian crisis in Garabagh, the French president is trying to squeeze as many meanings as possible into his definition, even at the risk of causing Washington’s displeasure.
To summarise: Macron is thus inviting the Kremlin to the condemnation of Baku, which he believes is obvious and fits into the concept of “increasing pressure”. However, there is a possibility that he will leave this part of his demarche only to telephone conversations with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, while the “new diplomatic initiative in the international arena” will be formed without references to the Trilateral Statement.
It is known that Macron will try to convene a new meeting of the UN Security Council, and will most likely seek the adoption of the “document” formed by his administration in one of the EU structures.
But here is the problem: as it happened with other similar initiatives, Baku will completely nullify the hypothetical content of Macron’s idea by its actions on the ground.
As it became known in the morning of August 29, the Azerbaijani Red Crescent Organisation sent its own humanitarian convoy to Askeran, where the allegedly dying of famine Armenians managed to bring concrete blocks of barrier. This means that the Aghdam Road, now seen by all Western diplomats, will also gain media status.
Photos and videos of trucks with humanitarian aid, which the hunger-driven people refuse to accept, are the best illustration of the manipulations used in all anti-Azerbaijani campaigns. The US cleverly avoided embarrassment by replacing the papers before the Security Council during the recent discussion of the Armenian complaint and thus refusing to initiate the adoption of a ridiculous resolution.
The French, on the other hand, seem to care less about their international reputation and are ready to take the first place on the planet for their fierce Turkophobia and Islamophobia.
However, Macron kept his intention to send an air humanitarian convoy to Yerevan, and from there, also by air, to Khankandi, to himself in front of the ambassadors. Reportedly, Prince Michael of Liechtenstein will be also on board the aircraft together with the humanitarian aid.
So, the calculation is that Baku will not dare to take any action to prevent the plane from landing on its territory. Otherwise, it would look like an attempt on the prince, a challenge to Europe, and then the Third World War is not far away.
Well, Baku is unlikely to shoot down the plane, although it is possible that this is exactly what Macron wants. One can’t help but wonder if the prince knows what sort of fate the French presented has prepared for him in his imagination.
Although, I believe that has many ways in its arsenal to land the crowned plane without resorting to lethal methods. I suppose that there is also a possibility not to bring the matter to the takeoff of the airliner at all – at least from Armenia. For instance, the allied countries like Türkiye and Georgia, could be asked to close the airspace for the flight.
Türkiye, in all probability, will do so. But Georgia… Given the strong influence of the EU, especially from France (the president of Georgia is a French citizen), perhaps this will be the X hour of Tbilisi’s commitment to strategic partnership with Baku. In case Georgia refuses, the French will have to fly eighty days around the world to deliver the cargo through Iran… A farce, indeed.
All of Macron’s actions indicate that France has no strategic dimension, it acts impulsively, without hiding its irritation, which is instantly seen by all other players and does not add respect to it. This is a common characteristic between Paris and Yerevan.
Murad Abiyev
Caliber.Az
