During the seminar on “Foreign Policy and Coverage” organized by the “Union of Informed Citizens” NGO, the journalists asked the founding President of the Armenian Institute for International and Security Affairs, Stepan Safaryan, whether the recent blast close to Turkish-Armenian border (which killed 12 police officers) was done specially, aiming to concentrate more troops in this section. Mr. Safaryan replied that it is possible. “It is necessary to consider all hypotheses. Even if we do not have precise explanation to whay has happened, there were at least several scenarios. Let us not forget that Turkey has several times created pretexts to mobilize troops near its border with Armenia.”
He reminded that such an attempt has happened in 1993. “At that time, 2-3 statements were made that they restrained this attempt. The first one was the statement by the US Department of State saying that no third country’s direct involvement to the Caucasus and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be tolerated. This was directed to Turkey. And Russia’s response was followed that if it happens, it would be the Third World War.” Stepan Safaryan also said that since 1993, information was regularly extended that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party terrorists and so on are trained in Armenia. “In other words, they have constantly tried to create pretexts. Yes, Turkey has an explicit desire to interfere in the affairs of the Caucasus. This is irrefutable. Turkey has even used the Turkish-Armenian relations not so much for normalization of the relations with Armenia but for appearing in the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Ashot ISRAELYAN
