Peter Tase: Armenian leadership’s inflammatory remarks aggravate situation around conflict

By Trend

The Armenian leadership’s inflammatory remarks are exacerbating an already inflammable situation around the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, US expert in European politics Peter Tase told Trend on Sept. 21.

“The discourse adopted recently by Armenian Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan is encouraging military operations and reconnaissance missions from Yerevan inside the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan,” Tase added. “Tonoyan’s inflammatory remarks and misleading language is exacerbating an already inflammable situation. Armenia has called for assistance to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).”

“The Article 4 is the key part of the CSTO Treaty, states: “If one of the Member States undergoes aggression, it will be considered by the Member States as aggression to all the Member States of this Treaty," the expert said. “In the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, it is a fact that Armenia is the aggressor party and has violated for three decades, all international treaties and humanitarian laws by conducting a ruthless ethnic cleansing campaign against the Azerbaijani nation.”

“In front of these wicked acts of fascist Armenia, the world has remained silent,” the US expert said.

“Silence is not a formula for success, indeed it exacerbates armed conflicts to a point of no return,” Tase said. “Now is the time to exert all political pressure on Armenia. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe must review carefully the politico-military situation in Armenia and must take the lead towards solving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means.”

“The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement signed between Armenia and the European Union (CEPA) on November 24, 2017; must be suspended until Tonoyan and other ministers adopt a language of reconciliation, fully respecting the international laws, the territorial sovereignty of neighboring countries,” Tase said.

“It is imperative for United Nations, European Union and NATO to deliver a strong message to Armenian leaders, calling for restraint and condemning their remarks,” the expert said.

“The Armenian prime minister must exercise his constitutional duties within his nation's borders, to strictly focus on the wellbeing of his countrymen and abandon attacks against Azerbaijani civilian population,” Tase said. “Armenia must withdraw its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh region and from seven occupied territories adjacent to this region.”

“US journalist Herbert Swope once said: "I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody", Tase added. “The EU is pleasing everybody to the detriment of the Azerbaijan Republic and its peace-loving people. This attitude - which certainly is self-destructive for the European continent, must change.”