YEREVAN—The downing of an unarmed Artsakh helicopter during a training flight has provoked further aggravation of the situation in the region and increased concerns, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha said in a statement.
“Armed incidents have occurred along the line of contact of the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan all through 2014. The ceasefire was violated over 1,500 times during just the three summer months, with civilian settlements and peaceful populations targeted. There were incidents of incursion by subversive groups that resulted in violence and death of civilians,” the Secretary General said.
“Today we witnessed yet another violation of the ceasefire agreement. The downing of the helicopter is a dangerous expression of violence, which creates a new threat of escalation of the conflict. The situation in the South Caucasus is further aggravating,” he said.
“We are deeply convinced of the need to prevent the threatening development of the situation. The most important things that could prevent such turn of events include refusal from the use of force, unequivocal commitment to the ceasefire agreement and avoidance of provocative actions. It’s important to ensure the continuation of the negotiation process on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” Bordyuzha stated.
Baku has been trying hard to draw Armenia into a serious confrontation on the border since last summer. Bakus’ purpose is to cause a situation in the region which would derail Yerevan’s upcoming membership in the Eurasian Union. So, this provocation by Baku has geopolitical undertones. Yes, Armenia has to respond in some manner, but the response has to be measured/asymmetrical. We can’t start a war simply because that is what Turks want. Going forward, we need to better protect our forces and hit back at a time of our choosing. Once Armenia becomes a full member in the Eurasian Union these provocations will gradually come to a halt.
PS: Russians are a great help for Armenia in the west, the Turkish-Armenian border. We don’t need direct Russian help in Artsakh. Azerbaijan is something Armenia can easily handle.
Unless Russia sabotages the effort there, too, and installs its peacekeepers in Artsakh, which is also likely.
Unless idiotic Aiyev is gone and a real Democratic regime is established, possibilities of peace are slim.
I really don’t understand your logic. Azerbaijan should be a democracy, but every time anyone advocates for Armenia becoming more democratic, you rally against it/them? Why does Azerbaijan deserve a real democratic leader but Armenia must remain an oligarchy forever pinned to Russia?
Azerbaijan is light years away to reach to the level of Armenian democracy, to expect Armenia to be a demoracy at the level of US and EU is unrealistic. America after 200 years is trying hard to become a real democracy
No the miitary preparedness gap is growing.
The Azeris successfully tested one of their new Russian purchases. Why not? What is Armenia going to do? The invasion is coming and little Armenia is going to be steamrolled. They will have to scream for big brother in order to survive as a country. Putin is laughing his ass off playing both sides.