Azerbaijan’s latest statements indicate that it prepares for attack — Hovik Avanesov

Today, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev said that serious restrictions should be imposed on Armenia’s military development policy.

“This practice exists on the agenda of international relations; certain restrictions are applied in the process of army buildup and military planning of aggressor and occupier countries. For example, restrictions were introduced after World War II and the Iraq-Kuwait War. In addition, the issue of the responsibility of countries supplying offensive weapons to Armenia should be addressed as well,” Hajiyev said.

Alpha News talked about this topic with expert on the Caucasus Hovik Avanesov.

When asked whether Azerbaijan understands that this condition will not be fulfilled or whether the Armenian authorities are nevertheless ready to take this step in the name of peace, the expert noted that both options should be considered.

“Azerbaijan clearly understands that the implementation of such conditions depends not only on the decisions of the Armenian authorities, especially with regard to those countries from which Armenia regularly receives military weapons. The purpose of this is to create an additional information background for the next military scheme. All the statements made recently lead to the fact that Azerbaijan is preparing for an attack either in the direction of Syunik or Tavush, but it is also likely that it can be in both directions. We must analyze these statements and develop all possible scenarios, given that such statements are being made amid recent events in the Middle East, when terrorist groups with direct support from Turkey attacked a number of settlements in Syria,” the expert noted.

Avanesov stressed that according to all international conventions, any state is allowed to acquire means for its defense and security.

“We should pay attention to a very important circumstance. According to all international conventions, any state is allowed to purchase appropriate protective means to ensure the security of its country. These means include both the presence of the armed forces, various law enforcement agencies, and the acquisition of appropriate weapons. In particular, the 50th and, I believe, the 51st UN Conventions clearly state that each state has the right to ensure the security of its country both by its own means and on the basis of a respective written statement involving the forces of the third or fourth state,” the expert concluded.