A prominent Russian political commentator on Wednesday shared his comments on the recent escalations around Nagorno-Karabakh, expressing his astonishment at Russia’s continuing weapons deal with Azerbaijan, Tert.am reports.
Azerbaijan not to replace Armenia as strategic ally: Russian commentator
STEPANAKERT, APRIL 13, ARTSAKHPRESS: Vladimir Solovyov said he doesn’t expect Azerbaijan to ever replace Armenia as a strategic ally. “We are going to lose our last and true friend. We have a military base there and control the borders. Can you just imagine what anti-Russian sentiments dominate Armenia now? So no need at all to pretend that Azerbaijan can replace Armenia. We do not have a military base in Azerbaijan and do protect that country’s borders. Also, Turkish officials have been visiting that country increasingly frequently over the recent period. With all this in mind, we have to answer a very simple question: where are our national interests?”
Salavyov further compared the Armenia – Nagorno-Karabakh relations with the situation between Russia and Crimea.
“It is noteworthy that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan does not ever put us to a nonplus, as he never threatens to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence, a move that would cause Russia to enter into a war with Azerbaijan as part of its [commitments] to the Collective Security Treaty Organization. So you have just to imaging imagine the Armenians’ reaction to officials’ rather adequately worded statements saying that they will continue selling weapons to Azerbaijan,” he said, admitting that Azerbaijan does not behave like an ally when it comes to its relationship with Russia.
“Yes, I understand that it is possible to argue with Azerbaijan. But what does that mean? Are we supposed to betray our ally in the CSTO? Turkey, for example, made a public statement saying that it is going to support to Azerbaijan. Let us not forget that Azerbaijan opened fire in the direction of Armenia’s Tavush region. That’s the territory of Armenia, whereas the CSTO remained silent on it, as though it hadn’t noticed all that,” Solovyov added.
