The recent Azerbaijani aggression along the eastern borders of the Republic of Armenia has caused serious security problems for the region and Artsakh.
The Artsakh issue should become a priority issue in Armenian and international forums. Military Expert
STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 22, ARTSAKHPRESS: On the possible threats against Artsakh, “Artsakhpress” interviewed the military expert Vladimir Harutyunyan.
The military expert noted that Azerbaijan's aggression and ongoing escalation along the eastern borders of Armenia, however surprising it may seem, were predictable.
"Due to the silence of the international community and the failure of the Armenian military-political authorities to take adequate steps, Azerbaijan continues to invade with impunity and position itself in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. A situation is created when one of the parties seems to know exactly what is doing, when and where, and the other does not know what to do at all, or does not implement them. From a military-political point of view, taking advantage of the demarcation and delimitation uncertainties, Azerbaijan is occupying a strategically dominant position in order to establish control over Armenian settlements and roads.
By placing outposts on favorable heights, the enemy also pursues a tactical goal, that is, to control larger areas with small forces, to impose unacceptable conditions. Achieving this, Azerbaijan will be in a better position from a diplomatic point of view in all the forthcoming negotiations, will try to force the signing of peace aggreement with Armenia on its own terms or will add other points of its interest in the agreements. In economic terms, Turkey, via Azerbaijan, will try to get closer or take possession of the only highway connecting Syunik with other regions of Armenia, the "small scenario" of which they have already implemented in the Goris-Kapan section.
It is obvious that through relevant military-political consultations, Azerbaijan has been given a certain role in order to serve the interests of the "senior"friend, i.e Turkey, and to ensure its advance to the Caspian region. At the same time, it is a step against Iran and the expected "Persian Gulf- Black Sea" economic channel, as the interested parties will have to take into account the country controlling the only major road passing through Armenia in order to organize the transportation of luggage through the mentioned highway.
It is obvious that new security issues arise for Artsakh: the concentration of large enemy forces in the western part, in the regions of Kashatagh and Karvachar, which forces us to strengthen the presence of our armed units in those directions to resist and defend.
By occupying any part of the Sisian-Goris road, Azerbaijan will try to finally close the entire supply of Artsakh, to put an end to the existence of Artsakh," said Harutyunyan. According to the military expert, in such conditions, before the final settlement of Artsakh's status, the military-political leadership of Artsakh should activate diplomacy and strengthen Artsakh's defense capacity in order to create the necessary security environment.
"The Artsakh issue, the aggression of Azerbaijan, the existing and developing humanitarian crisis should be on the priority agenda in various Armenian and international forums. Necessary guarantees - social and living conditions should be created in order to prevent the outflow of civilians, to organize the normal life and activities of the people in Artsakh. In close cooperation with law enforcement agencies and Russian peacekeepers, it should provide the necessary legal process for any case of ceasefire violation, establish a monitoring and analysis system, carry out staff and logistical reforms in the armed forces, actively involving reservists; .
We should work consistently to counter the information war declared by the enemy, creating our own 'information troops', involving groups of military-political experts, as well as students," said Vladimir Harutyunyan said.
