Diplomat: Small Azerbaijani pranks in Syunik are not a hindrance to  Moscow

ArmInfo. Russia opened the gates of the South Caucasus with its own hand in front of Turkey. Moreover, as a result and following the results of last year's war in  Artsakh, it provided the conditions necessary for an extensive  Turkish military presence in our region. A similar opinion was  expressed to ArmInfo by former head of the Artsakh Republic Foreign  Ministry, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Arman  Melikyan.

"In this light, there is no reason for the formation of the opinion  prevailing in Armenia, according to which Russia can somehow be  harmed, let's say, by small Azerbaijani pranks in the Syunik region  of Armenia. I consider blocking the Goris-Kapan section connecting  Armenia with Iran, an interstate highway, some other unfriendly acts,  actions and statements of the Azerbaijani leadership as directed  exclusively against Armenia, "he stressed.  The diplomat stressed  that against the background of such realities, the attempts of the  Armenian leadership to present the actions of Baku as directed, inter  alia, against Moscow by the desire to explain its own passivity and  justify its own inaction by the intention to prevent the withdrawal  of the Russian peacekeeping contingent from Artsakh. The latter,  among other things, in his opinion, is due to the lack of a clear  analysis by the Armenian leadership that corresponds to the current  realities. Melikyan is convinced that this is what prevents the  Armenian leadership from taking appropriate responses to the  situation.

Meanwhile, taking into account the fact that it is the peacekeepers  of the Russian Federation who are the guarantor of the preservation  of peace and stability in Artsakh, it is their primary duty,  according to the diplomat, to prevent any aggressive actions of the  Azerbaijani military. And, of course, such situations require an  appropriate, symmetrical diplomatic response from Moscow.

"I am convinced that Moscow knows perfectly well how to resolve such  issues. And, one way or another, but in the eyes of the citizens of  Armenia, the main responsibility for resolving the current situation  without losses is precisely the Armenian political elite. Time itself  has demonstrated the complete senselessness of public professional  consultations on this or that issue. Serious problems require a  serious attitude. Accordingly, serious work, which should be realized  and demanded by the leadership responsible for the country, "the  diplomat summed up.