Your trusted source

With this and other means, Azerbaijan is trying to put pressure on both the Armenian side and the mediators before the meeting of the presidents, political scientist, Tigran Abrahamyan told Panorama.am commenting on the organization of operative-tactical manoeuvres by Azerbaijan on the Line of Contact between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry officially announced that the military exercises are being carried out in the border regions, as well as on the territory of Nakhijevan and the Caspian Sea.

“The organization of a large-scale military exercises two months after the April events, just before the possible meeting of the presidents reminds a blackmail,” Abrahamyan added.
The same source also announced that the peculiarity of the military exercises is that new technological means will be applied taking into account the strong defence mechanisms of conventional opponent.

“Carrying out such exercises in such an important period clearly shows Azerbaijan’s real desire to settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict through military means. We should consider the fact that the exercises weren’t due by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry combat training plan. Thus, Azerbaijan planned extraordinary manoeuvres just 15-20km from the Line of Contact,” the political scientist said.

However, according to Abrahamyan, concentration of military equipment of such amount isn’t preferable. “Not much time has passed after the April events, and given Azerbaijan’s unpredictable behaviour and constant negligence of responsibilities before the international partners, the concentration of military equipment and men if not dangerous, but certainly isn’t desirable”.
The political scientist also spoke about his expectations concerning trilateral meeting between the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia on June 20 in St. Petersburg. “I feel that Azerbaijan is intentionally trying to lead the process to ultimate failure. In any case, this is proved by Azerbaijani statements and its silence concerning agreements reached in Vienna”.

Speaking about Azerbaijani reactions concerning NKR President, Bako Sahakyan’s latest visits abroad, Abrahamyan noted that Azerbaijan doesn’t take this trips easy. “NKR President’s foreign visits and contacts with various political circles aim to develop and strengthen Artsakh, and contribute to the international recognition of NKR.

“This cannot leave Azerbaijani authorities indifferent. The more Artsakh recognition is activated and Artsakh becomes interesting for the world, the more Azerbaijani angered statements will become frequent.”