Forecast: There are many challenges. But with joint efforts Armenians  will be able to overcome them

ArmInfo.The Turkish program of destruction of the Armenian statehood obviously remains in force. And the latest events in our border regions are a vivid confirmation of  this. The director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, academician Ruben Safrastyan, expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.

"After our grave, shameful defeat in last year's war, I predicted the  next Turkish strike in the direction of Syunik. And we see that today  the Syunik and Gegharkunik regions of Armenia are of strategic  importance for Ankara in terms of the implementation of their  long-cherished pan-Turkist ideas and programs. It is important to  note here, that by linking Turkey through Nakhichevan with  Azerbaijan, the Turks will be able to transport military equipment  and ammunition to Azerbaijan without hindrance and quite quickly.  This opens up extensive opportunities for Ankara for drastic  geopolitical changes in our region in its favor, he stressed.

The academician considers the most important goal of Turkey to get a  permanent military base in Nakhichevan, in the direction of which, in  his opinion, there are obvious processes today. And in general,  according to his estimates, Ankara is actively using Azerbaijan to  expand its own military presence in the South Caucasus. The latter is  part of a general trend in Turkish policy to deploy its own military  bases in all regions where there are Turkish interests and,  accordingly, a Turkish presence.

Analyzing the recent loud statements of Ilham Aliyev and the policy  of Baku in general, the academician is firmly convinced that  Azerbaijan is in the mainstream of Turkish policy. Safrastyan  considers it an obvious fact that Baku's foreign policy has been  coordinated with Ankara. In particular, after the last war in  Artsakh. At the same time, Aliyev himself, in his opinion, is still  trying to keep personally at least a small space for actions  independent of Erdogan. In particular, for contacts with certain  Moscow circles.

Assessing, in this light, the current geopolitical situation as very  dangerous for Armenia, Safrastyan noted with regret that until now  the country's authorities had failed to take the necessary steps to  prevent these programs of Ankara. At the same time, the academician  recalled that even after the genocide committed by the Turks, the  Armenian people managed to recover from the heavy blow and restore  statehood.

"We managed to do it then. We managed to defeat the Turks in  Sardarapat. This speaks of our powerful spiritual strength. And I am  convinced that this strength, this potential is in us today. And all  this will open up the possibility of recovery for us. The opportunity  to recover from a heavy defeat and shake off its consequences. For  this, we, the Armenians of the whole world, need will and unity. I  remain an optimist and am convinced that together we will be able to  overcome all the threats and challenges faced by the Armenian people  and statehood, "Safrastyan summed up