Georgia confirms transit of French armored vehicles to Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - APM Terminals Poti has confirmed the transit of French ACMAT Bastion armored personnel carriers intended for Armenia, RFE/RL’s Georgian service reports.

“In this particular case, the cargo arrived from an EU country – France – and was sent to Armenia, a country that is not subject to sanctions.

In addition, in the absence of clear instructions from the Government of Georgia and restrictions imposed by international regulators, APM Terminals Poti is deprived of the ability to unreasonably refuse to accept cargo that is not sanctioned,” the company operating the port of Poti said in a statement.

Azerbaijan, which spends billions on weapons, has demanded that Armenia “put an end to the policy of armament and militarization in the region,” Haqqin.az reports.

Press secretary of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizade made remarks after images showing French weapons en route to Armenia leaked online.

According to Hajizade, France’s sending of military equipment to Armenia will contribute to “destructive activities” in the region.

“Armenia and France must put an end to the policy of armament and militarization in the region, and also come to terms with the fact that there is no alternative to peace and cooperation in the region,” the spokesperson said.