Karabakh yet another failure: French daily

PARIS

After Syria and Libya, Upper Karabakh constituted yet another failure for France, a French daily newspaper said Tuesday.

L’Opinion said last night’s cease-fire agreement and joint declaration manifested a heavy defeat for Armenia.

Underlining Turkish support to Azerbaijan and constant communication between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the daily claimed the West, including France and the US, was excluded from the “diplomatic game.”

It also maintained that the Upper Karabakh issue is another failure for pro-Armenian, anti-Turkish France after Syria and Libya.

“Azerbaijani superiority over Armenia became clear in the opening days of the armed clashes. The efficiency of Russian equipment against Turkish technology stayed rather limited,” the daily noted.

Putin announced early Tuesday that the two former Soviet republics had signed a deal to end the conflict in Upper Karabakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hailed the agreement as a victory for his country, saying Baku's military success enabled it to gain an upper hand to end the three-decade-long occupation of its territory.

The Turkish leadership also welcomed the truce, terming it a "great victory" for Azerbaijan.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Upper Karabakh have remained tense since 1991, but fresh clashes broke out on Sept. 27.

Armenia repeatedly attacked Azerbaijani civilians and forces for over 40 days, even violating three humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

Besides other towns and villages, Baku’s liberation of the strategic city Shusha on Sunday had signaled that victory was imminent.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk