War Words: Analyst considers Azeri rhetoric “common”

Modus Vivendi center leader believes the Azeri defense minister’s saber-rattling of several days ago is nothing new and that “such bellicose rhetoric has become rather common and is now on the presidential, rather than the defense ministry level of Azerbaijan”. 

Last week Azeri defense minister Safar Abiyev said during the reception of the Korean National Assembly delegation on an official visit in Baku that “Azerbaijan has no other choice but for strengthening its armed forces and liberating its occupied lands,” reports Regnum information agency. Abiyev also added that “Despite the attempts at peaceful settlement of the conflict, Armenia continues its occupant policy. The OSCE Minsk Group efforts so far have yielded no results either.” 

Political analyst Ara Papyan, leading Modus Vivendi center, reflecting on these statements told the press on Tuesday that the Karabakh issue is entering a new stage and is largely perceived as Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. 

Papyan believes that the West is not interested in a war in the region. 

“We will definitely not lose this war. Azerbaijan definitely cannot have an upper hand. Yes, today the morale and the psychological atmosphere is different from the one in the 1990s, but the professional combat-readiness and the kind of military weapons we possess provide such opportunities that they [the Azeris] would never recover. But the thing is that the potential war would have grave consequences for the entire region,” says Papyan. 

In reference to Armenia-Russia relations, in particular to the fact that Russia recently sold a great amount of assault weaponry, including multiple rocket launchers, to Azerbaijan, Papyan says that there is certain tension between the two countries and Russia is to be blamed for it, because its conduct is not befitting of a strategic partner. 

“We have become too close to the Russians, and now they do not have either fear or caution, because they have blocked all of Armenia’s alternative roads. Under the circumstances Armenia should not give up pre-signing the Association Agreement with the European Union, which is beneficial both in economic and military terms,” he says. 

By Gohar Abrahamyan 
ArmeniaNow reporter