Thursday, November 18 2021 18:11

ArmInfo.The global silence and international organizations` passive attitude, their unaddressed appeals to the "parties to escalation" to stop, leave Armenia with  only way-out, namely, standing up to Azerbaijan`s armed aggression,  Stepan Safaryan, Director of the Armenian Institute of International  and Security Affairs, told ArmInfo.  

"The motive behind one more armed aggression by Baku is clear -  forcing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan into agreeing to another  trilateral meeting with Putin and Aliyev. It is clear that the main  -- and, possibly, the only - issue on the meeting agenda will be  nothing but forcing Yerevan into providing Baku and Ankara a corridor  that would connect Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan and Turkey," the  expert said. 

By shelling the Armenian positions in the east direction, Azerbaijan  made one more step toward spiraling escalation of its conflict with  Armenia. On November 16 Azerbaijani armed forces attacked the  Armenian positions using artillery, armored vehicles and firearms and  made an incursion into the Armenian territory.  Local fighting caused  losses on both sides. The hostilities ended under an agreement  reached with the Russian side`s mediation. 

Among the factors proving that standing up to Azerbaijan`s creeping  armed aggression is the only way out for Armenia Mr Safaryan singled  out the "observer-intermediary" stance of Armenia`s strategic ally  Russia, inability of a number of international organizations to  respond, much less to resolve such crises in third countries.  According to him, these organizations are in crisis themselves.

"On top of all, Armenia is now faced with one more challenge, namely  the 3+3 format. It is a Turkey- presented challenge, as we are well  aware that 3+3 is in the interests of Ankara and, quite likely, of  Moscow, but not of Yerevan, that`s for sure. The present situation is  most serious and disturbing - and Aliyev-sponsored creeping  aggression may continue for a rather long period. Therefore, freezing  the situation can by no means be in our interests. A gross violation  of international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty is being  committed. And in the context of these violations, Armenia must in  any case demand that the international community use the relevant  mechanisms against the aggressor-state," Safaryan said.