France is at risk of disrupting the peace process by misusing its trust relationship with Yerevan to violate Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, rather than to push Armenia towards respecting the laws and arriving at a diplomatic mutually beneficial solution to the issue of the Armenian population in Karabakh, US journalist, national security analyst, lawyer Irina Zuckerman told Report.
She said that France's intentions in this case are self-interested and malevolent: "France is also looking to shift the international opinion in the direction of a mendacious narrative that will only undermine the prospects for regional integration in the South Caucasus. The aim, of course, is to insert Paris into the process and to flex diplomatic muscle in light of its recent humiliating failures in West Africa. However, Baku can use this otherwise frustrating situation as an opportunity to reveal the false premise behind this narrative. France is looking to get blocked by Azerbaijani forces from providing 'aid' to the Karabakh population and to use this public incident to advance the Armenian narrative that the road is blocked and that the Karabakh Armenians are suffering. Azerbaijan in this case should initiate a major public project announcing major investments into humanitarian development of the Karabakh area in general and invite the French 'humanitarians' along with the Armenians to take part in a public joint demining project in the liberated territories, if they are so interested and concerned for the future of the people who live there. This public counterinitiative will be very difficult to reject."
"And Azerbaijan authorities will be happy to take part in the distribution of any humanitarian assistance jointly with the French towards both Armenians and Azerbaijanis living in or moving to this area on the condition that this distribution - very publicly and openly - will take place formally and officially and through these approved entry points. If the humanitarians are serious about helping those in need, they will have no choice but to agree to those conditions, otherwise, their action plan will be revealed as self-serving propaganda aimed at furthering tensions between communities and facilitating foreign meddling," the expert said.