Western militarization policy over Armenia in S Caucasus

By Farman Aydin, AZERNEWS

Armenia's becoming avid for military exercises in the past few months has already triggered an alarm in the South Caucasus. In particular, further intensification of military preparations on the eve of the COP29 international climate event, which will take place in Azerbaijan in November, has begun to appear as a serious threat to Azerbaijan. The rapid arming of Armenia and, moreover, the involvement of the USA and France in exercises, indicate more provocations than positive steps in the peace process. This also shows that it is not exceptional for Armenia to cause provocations on the border prior to the start of the event, which see hundreds of countries across the world.

In fact, there is enough evidence for this. For example, Armenia, which has an ally like France, is trying with all its efforts to prevent COP29 from taking place or to damage the image of the event. Even if the realization of such attempts is a dream for Yerevan, France is constantly trying to discredit Azerbaijan through Armenia by encouraging provocations on the border. The Olympic Games did not pass so quietly in the background of political tension between Baku and Paris. Official Paris, which has experienced a great disgrace in the history of sports, is trying to revenge on Baku because of the ridiculous situation it is in nowadays. According to France, "now it's Baku's turn". It even thinks to use every situation to start a smear campaign against Azerbaijan. In addition, on the one hand, Pashinyan supports the West’s secret plan by delaying the peace process with dozens of excuses.

Let's not go back too far. Everyone remembers that in 2023, during Pashinyan's speech in the Armenian Parliament, he said, “steps will be taken to open the Zangazur Corridor and that Armenia is ready for it.” At that time, the Armenian government did not speak so lavishly about military exercises. But where is Pashinyan’s promise and the words he released into to the atmosphere?

It was no coincidence that the Prime Minister of Armenia, who felt himself somewhat cool in Iran, gossiped about the Zangazur Corridor in a behind-the-scenes meeting with Iran's religious leader Khamenei. Pashinyan, who always refused to fulfil his promise, had to find an opportunity to evade the issue this time. Certainly, Iran, which does not want to see the West in the Caucasus, has no choice but to agree with Armenia's pro-Western stance. If we are talking about a joint action against Azerbaijan, Iran will have to ignore all the whims of Yerevan in order to prevent the opening of Zangazur, which it sees as a nightmare, or the Turk’s Road.

Crime Never Sleeps

On the other hand, Armenia's arming and involvement in military exercises increased its desire for the release of separatist elements serving prison terms in Baku. Even a number of baseless claims about Garabagh have been voiced again by biased politicians such as Melanie Joly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, and Louis Moreno Ocampo, who is accused of corruption.

But how does the Armenian government whether overtly or covertly support it? Of course, Yerevan supports it with all its might.

The fact that a criminal like Kamo Bahaturi Vardanyan, who used to command illegal military units in Garabagh, is currently appointed as an advisor to the Armenian Ministry of Defense indicates Yerevan's intentions regarding Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Perhaps for Armenia, it is time to play the cards openly, however Kamo Vardanyan's equal activity in the same cabinet with the NATO official promises not a pleasant event for the region.

Pashinyan only keeps criminals with him who are useful for his work. If it wasn't like that, he would have helped his opponents like Ruben Vardanyan and Araik Harutyunyan to escape from Garabagh in various secret ways, or to put it more bluntly, he wouldn't have closed the doors of Yerevan to them.

By appointing the criminal, the Armenian authorities once again clearly proved their support for the crime. As the saying goes, "Crime never sleeps". Armenia can never refrain from its crimes it has always kept as sacred in its hostile approach to Azerbaijan. For it, the important is to sacrifice everything for its own ambitions rather than the future of the region.