MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. France is provoking another bout of escalation in the South Caucasus with its sale of Caesar howitzers to Armenia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a news briefing.

"Paris is provoking another spiral of military confrontation in the South Caucasus. This is the latest step. <…> You can see yet another proof," the Russian diplomat said commenting on the latest arms deal between Yerevan and Paris.

According to Zakharova, Paris is seeking to use the existing differences in and between countries as an instrument for achieving its own opportunistic goals. Those, she said, not only imply the Elysee’s personal interests but also France being "a proponent of NATO ideology."

At a meeting on June 17, the French and Armenian defense chiefs signed a contract envisaging selling Caesar self-propelled howitzers to Yerevan.