ArmInfo. Armenia and Azerbaijan are already exchanging territories. This logical conclusion can be drawn from a number of factors, including the Azerbaijani troops` incursion into Armenia`s territory on November 16. It should also be noted that the sides are saying one thing, while doing quite different things, the analyst Saro Saroyan told ArmInfo.
"The November 16 events showed that by means of an armed aggression against Armenia Baku, among other things, is resolving territorial issues. As a result, Armenia`s leadership recently officially published the number of square kilometers, 41, under Azerbaijan`s control now. It is noteworthy that, at the same time - in a different context though - Pashinyan actually announced an exchange of territories between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And it will actually take place during the border delimitation and demarcation," the expert said.
It is a Moscow-sponsored exchange of territories, with a secret scenario being enacted, for the results to be presented to the public as an accomplished fact. According to Saroyan, in Armenia`s case, the result will be enclaves within Yerevan`s jurisdiction. In Azerbaijan`s case, it will be parts of Armenia`s territory brought under Azerbaijan`s control as a result of an armed aggression, the analyst said. Speaking of the methods being employed in the process, Saroyan stressed that as long as military pressure on and armed attacks against Armenia are justified, Baku will go on employing this tactics. And, of course, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev should not be expected to stop employing military mechanisms now that his task is to torpedo a process.
As regards Russia`s interests, the analyst believes that it is in achieving a regional configuration to its best advantage as soon as possible - primarily in the direction of Syunik. And, of course, it is the implementation of the behind-the-scenes agreements between Moscow and Turkey. According to Saroyan, it is a steady westward turn in the settlement of both the Artsakh problem and Yerevan-Baku relations that account for Moscow`s haste.