Azerbaijan prepared for any scenario in Armenia

By Azernews

Armenian revanchists are once again trying to overthrow incumbent Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and seize power in the country. Protests have been ongoing in Armenia for several days.

A certain number of Armenian citizens, dissatisfied with the country’s current situation, take to the streets under the influence of the opposition. It is difficult to predict how the configuration of political power in Armenia will change as a result of the current rallies. Although there is dissatisfaction with the authorities, the presence of the same Karabakh clan [former Armenian presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan] among the protest leaders gives the current revanchist campaign the standard negative effect.

These same revanchists are misleading Armenian citizens. For example, they claim that if they win power, Armenia will impose its agenda on Azerbaijan and Turkey. Additionally, some demonstrators have even promised to "return" the territories lost during the second Karabakh war.

Major risk factor

In reality, the situation is quite different. Armenia’s unwillingness or inability to ensure the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Karabakh undermines the peace process and jeopardizes regional stability. Recent events have amply demonstrated this. The revanchists are not going to back down; on the contrary, they are planning to make the situation even tenser. Armenians have been staging armed provocations near liberated Kalbajar region on a regular basis since early May.

As recent provocations and false propaganda against Azerbaijan demonstrate, separatists would benefit greatly from inciting a clash or some kind of armed incident between Russian peacekeepers and Azerbaijani servicemen serving nearby. Such a provocation could come from illegal Armenian armed formations. This is a major risk factor for both Russia and Azerbaijan.

Earlier, Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry urged Russia to complete the withdrawal of illegal Armenian armed formations from Azerbaijani territory where Russian peacekeepers are currently stationed. Referring to the tripartite statement that ended the 44-day second Karabakh war in November 2022, Azerbaijan stated that this is at least the second time since the war's end that the ministry has formally requested Moscow to ensure that this paragraph's requirement is fully implemented.

Following the appeal, the Armenians began to exacerbate the situation. It is obvious that they are trying to keep the region tense on purpose and are going to use any opportunity for this.

It should be noted that on the very first day of the trilateral statement was signed, the Armenians violated this document’s paragraph 4, which said that “the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is being deployed in parallel with the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces".

The rapid deployment, however, was carried out without a parallel withdrawal of Armenian armed formations. It is also worth noting that the text of the statement does not refer to the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia, but rather, as in the four UN Security Council resolutions, to all "Armenian armed forces", including illegal Armenian armed forces that have not left Karabakh. Armenia defiantly ignores these facts and is attempting to assemble new forces to commit new sabotage acts.

Azerbaijan ensures regional security

Azerbaijan has ensured regional security by putting an end to the Karabakh conflict, which has been a threat to regional stability and security over the past 30 years. This conflict posed a threat not only to Azerbaijan and the region but also to the international community. The territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia were used for illegal activities such as the cultivation and sale of drug-containing plants, and the majority of the proceeds from drug sales were directed by separatists to purchase weapons and train illegal armed and terrorist groups.

Terrorists from other countries, particularly those of Armenian origin, were stationed and trained in these territories. Armenians also established large illegal armed formations on these lands. All of this posed a significant threat to the region's peace and stability. Azerbaijan’s historic victory in the 44-day war has created a new situation. The country eliminated this threat, cleared the occupied territories of terrorists, and ended the Armenian separatists' illegal activities by resolving the Karabakh conflict on its own.

Today, in the liberated territories, work is underway to improve and create, for instance, construct new roads and international airports, restore infrastructure and develop "smart cities" and "smart villages". The resolution of the Karabakh conflict has benefited not only Azerbaijan but also all regional countries and even the world because the new transit and transport communications that will be established in these territories will bring the states closer together and open up new avenues for cooperation.

High time to accept new realities

Given these facts, Armenian revanchists, enraged by the defeat, are attempting to incite a new conflict in Karabakh by sabotaging the implementation of the trilateral statement.

It is high time to reconcile with the new realities and recognize the fact that Azerbaijan's territorial integrity has been restored, and that we are now carrying out a full administrative restoration.

The Armenians have two strategic options. The first is reintegration into Azerbaijani society and the legal system. The second is that those who disagree with this must leave the country. Baku provides Armenians with such an option. Unfortunately, Azerbaijanis in Armenia did not have this option. As a result, Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian origin have a choice. They make decisions and choices. Attempting to create a "third option" for themselves, the Armenians will lead the issue to the point where the Azerbaijani army will have to take everything back into their own hands and escort the illegal formations back to Armenia.

At the same time, external forces, including Russia, are refusing to support Armenian revanchists. The rise to power of such executioners as Robert Kocharyan or Serzh Sargsyan carries the risk of igniting a new round of conflict in Karabakh, endangering the region's stability. However, revanchists must understand that Azerbaijan is prepared for any turn of events.

And if the perpetrators of the first Karabakh war in Armenia seize power and commit new provocations against our country, the "Iron Fist" will fall even harder on their heads. The resurgence of Armenian fascism makes the third Karabakh war unavoidable. External players must be aware of this.