Eduard Sharmazanov: Azerbaijan and Turkey remain threats to Armenia

ArmInfo.  It should be clearly understood that Azerbaijan and Turkey remain threats to Armenia. Given this threat, the authorities' political shortsightedness has  led to a Turkish-Azerbaijani agenda. Republican Party Press Secretary  Eduard Sharmazanov shares this viewpoint, asking on his Facebook page  what geopolitical vector Armenia should choose.

According to the politician, many believe that the country's ruling  Civil Contract Party has chosen the path of integration with the  West. "But there is also an opinion that the current regime has  chosen neither the West nor Russia. Given the events of recent years,  it is quite reasonable to assume that Armenia's rulers have chosen  the path of close rapprochement with Turkey. Just a few months after  the end of the disastrous 44-day war, Pashinyan declared that he was  "receiving positive signals from Turkey." He then stated that he was  not offended when he was called a Turk. These statements were  followed by concrete actions.

First, the head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry was sent to Turkey,  and then Nikol Pashinyan himself attended Erdogan's inauguration.  Meanwhile, in the fall of 2020, in an interview with the prestigious  Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, Pashinyan claimed that "100  years later, Turkey has returned to the South Caucasus to continue  the Armenian Genocide." In the same interview, the leader of the  ruling team said: "Terrorists brought from the Middle East are  fighting on the side of Azerbaijan under the auspices of Turkey." And  speaking about the possible During the ceasefire, Pashinyan  emphasized that "a ceasefire can only be established if Turkey  withdraws from the South Caucasus." What has changed in Turkish  policy? Why, in 2020, did Pashinyan consider Turkey a potential  genocidal state and call for its removal from the South Caucasus,  while years later, Erdogan's book on regional world order was so  tightly pressed to his chest? Why are the Armenian ruler and some of  his associates making controversial and unacceptable statements  regarding the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia,  the Armenian Genocide, Western Armenia, and Ararat? It has reached  the point that at one press conference, the party leader effectively  called the "Russian military presence," rather than Turkey, a threat  to Armenia's security, Sharmazanov noted.

He noted that, according to historical and diplomatic facts, Turkey  came close to initiating military action against Armenia three times  in 1992-1993. And, according to those same facts, it was only because  of its harsh behavior that it was stopped. The Turkish elite has  abandoned its intention to "deal a moderate blow to Armenia" in the  Russian Federation.

"It must be clearly understood that Azerbaijan and Turkey remain a  threat to Armenia. Given this threat, political shortsightedness has  led to a Turkish-Azerbaijani agenda. Some believe that a sharp and  disproportionate increase in Turkey's influence could also be  beneficial to the West, as in such a situation, the Russian  Federation's position would weaken. It's no secret that the West  wants a region without Russia, the Russian Federation wants to  maintain its position or suffer as few losses as possible, Turkey  wants to secure its influence in Armenia, and Azerbaijan wants to  obtain the so-called "Zangezur Corridor" and achieve the revocation  of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia. And  what does the Armenian government want? Their only goal is to  maintain and protect their power at any cost.