France could have delivered a military shipment to Armenia in violation of the Chicago Convention

France may have been transporting military cargo to Armenia disguised as civilian cargo, which violates the provisions of the 1944 Chicago Convention.

As Report conveys, this conclusion can be drawn based on data from flights of French military transport aircraft to Armenia.

The Anewz TV channel for its part presented both the official version from French media and data on French aviation flights to Yerevan.

In particular, Le Figaro describes the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Yerevan last week as part of a strategic partnership with Armenia. Defense cooperation was already part of this agenda, including Armenia's order to purchase 36 French Caesar howitzers in 2024.

However, the authors of the material raise the question of whether the official partnership was accompanied by deeper military cooperation.

Macron's official visit to Armenia began on May 5. According to ADS-B data, on May 4, an Airbus A330-200 of the French Air and Space Force arrived in Yerevan. The following day, the aircraft departed from Yerevan to Paris and then proceeded to the French military air base Istres-Le Tubé.

These data confirm the movement of the aircraft but do not reveal the nature of the cargo: "The question arises: was this flight used only for official transport, or was it part of a broader chain of military support?"

Furthermore, the same aircraft was previously tracked in the area of Japan and South Korea between March 29 and April 3. During that time in Japan, the defense ministers of France and Japan signed a defense cooperation roadmap, and in South Korea on April 3, Macron and President Lee Jae-myung agreed to deepen cooperation, including in the areas of defense and energy. As a result, we again see the movement of the aircraft but have no information about the transport of specific cargo.

Separate attention in the material is given to the French military aircraft A400M. According to tracking data from May 11, it was heading toward the South Caucasus.

It is alleged that the cargo on this route was declared for Georgia as gas cylinders, lithium batteries, and chemical substances. However, the question arises whether the actual cargo matched the declared description or whether it could have been components for Caesar howitzers or other equipment related to armaments.

The material notes that this issue became particularly relevant after French Caesar howitzers appeared in footage from Yerevan as part of preparations for the upcoming parade on May 28. Thus, the question concerns not only Macron's visit but also what was being moved during this visit, what cargo was declared for Georgia, what permits were issued, and whether the cargo corresponded to the legal status of the flight.

According to the 1944 Chicago Convention, civilian and military aircraft are regulated by different legal regimes. In this regard, transporting military cargo under a different declaration may raise questions regarding airspace use permissions, transit, and compliance with civil aviation regulations.

At the same time, the material states that information about the cargo has not yet been definitively confirmed: "Public data confirm the partnership, flight data confirm the movements, video footage confirms the presence of Caesar systems in Armenia. However, information about the cargo still requires confirmation. Until the A400M manifest, Georgia's transit permission, ICAO compliance documents, and independent confirmations are published, the question remains open. The accusations have not yet been proven, but the situation appears serious enough to demand answers."

Of course, answers, primarily from Paris or Yerevan, could clarify the situation. However, none have been forthcoming so far. Therefore, based on available materials, it can be asserted that a military aircraft was delivering armaments and other military cargo to Armenia. Moreover, given the lack of transparency regarding these flights, namely the absence of official statements about the nature of the cargo, all of this only reinforces suspicions that covert military deliveries were being carried out from France to Armenia.