Expert: Azerbaijan to adequately response to every provocation of Armenia

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

The recent provocation of the Armenian side on the line of contact with the Azerbaijani troops has once again demonstrated Armenia's strong desire to exacerbate the situation on the front line.

On April 27, the air defense units of Armenia launched a guided rocket from the “Osa” surface-to-air missile system in Khojavend-Fizuli direction of the front.

It is noteworthy that Armenia carried out this provocation right before the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Azerbaijani political scientist Fikrat Sadikhov believes that the "activity" of the Armenian side on the frontline largely intensifies on the eve of some important meetings heralding the beginning of the negotiation process.

“Usually in such cases, the objective of Armenia is to once again throw dust in the eyes of the international community, showing that it has to deal with a country that allegedly carries out provocations, and Armenia is forced to react in response to them,” Sadikhov said.

He noted that by such false actions Armenians are trying to show that all the steps they are taking are allegedly aimed at ensuring Armenia's border security.

“Of course, this prejudice is trumped up, because it is Armenia that violates the ceasefire dozens of times a day. Secondly, these provocations are often committed in the occupied Azerbaijani territories. That is, Armenia, being on foreign lands, is engaged in provoking the conflict that leads to certain victims,” Sadikhov noted.

The expert added that for Armenia, the occupied territories are the main protective shield, the option to delay the settlement of the conflict. “Therefore, at every provocation Armenia receives an adequate response of the Azerbaijani side, and so it will continue,” said Sadikhov.

He further expressed his opinion on the discontent of the Armenian side with the recent supply of Russian arms to Azerbaijan.

“Russia is not gifting anything to us, it sells modern weapons at market prices to Azerbaijan, and we have never hidden that we have developed close military-technical cooperation with Russia,” the expert noted.

Sadikhov also added that the weapons Azerbaijan purchases are not provided for seizure of the territory of any state – Azerbaijan needs them to protect its own territories.

“I think that the purchased military equipment will be used for the liberation of those territories that are today occupied by Armenia. Of course, Armenia understands this and this is also one of the reasons which prompt them to engage in such provocations,” said Sadikhov.

He noted that delay of the negotiation process and various provocations by Armenia are only exacerbating the situation. The expert assumed that a new escalation won’t be in the interests of Armenia, because in this situation the country should be ready for a new, more serious defeat than the one it suffered in April clashes last year.

In conclusion, Sadikhov noted that it would be quite reasonable if the Armenian side would find the courage and, after assessing its real capabilities, would sit down at the negotiating table, thus finally starting a constructive dialogue.

Since the meetings of presidents in Vienna and St. Petersburg, which took place after the April clashes in 2016, the negotiation process came to the dead end due to the denial of Yerevan to continue serious talks. Azerbaijan has long ago stated it is ready to settle the conflict through direct negotiations with Armenia with mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. However, the Armenian side is constantly trying to make up reasons to avoid a constructive dialogue and preserve the unacceptable status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.