ArmInfo.Threats to Armenia voiced by modern Turkey in no way mean that Turkish troops are about to invade Armenia or are going to do so. Associated expert of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs, Turkologist Hayk Gabrielyan expressed this opinion to ArmInfo.
"I am talking about this in order to dispel the panic spread by some people who consider themselves experts in connection with the ongoing Turkish-Azerbaijani exercises since today. It comes to the point that these people evaluate the next joint exercises of Turkey and Azerbaijan as preparation for the invasion of Armenia. ", he noted.
From July 29 to August 10, Azerbaijan and Turkey are holding regular, planned, joint military exercises. According to the plan of the exercises, the exercises of the ground forces will be held from 1 to 5 August in Baku and Nakhichevan, bordering Armenia. Military aviation exercises will be held from July 29 to August 10 - in Baku, Nakhijevan, Yevlakh, Ganja and Kurdamir. The exercises will involve personnel, armored vehicles, artillery and mortars, military aviation and air defense systems of the two countries.
The Turkologist stressed that Ankara and Baku are holding joint military exercises not for the first time. It is not the first time that these exercises are carried out in the territory of Nakhichevan, just as it is not the first time that plans for an attack or counterattack on Armenia are being worked out on them. It is not the first time that Ankara has come out with tough statements in support of Azerbaijan.
Compared to the beginning of the 2000s, Turkey according to Gabrielyan's estimates, during the reign of Recep Erdogan and his team has really changed quite a lot. And already today it poses a real threat to Armenia. Accordingly, the current Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises should be considered taking into account this threat. According to the Turkologist, Armenia needs to carefully monitor them, be vigilant, initiate steps in various directions to curb Ankara's regional ambitions and appetites.
"Nevertheless, the very comparison of Armenia with Iraq, Syria and now Libya seems inappropriate. Moreover, it is impossible to substantiate the political and geopolitical preconditions, the likelihood of Turkey's military invasion of Armenia. The situations are too different, the geopolitical and regional balance of power, interests of global and regional players is too different". At this stage, it seems inappropriate to speak and consider such a perspective, "the Turkologist summed up.