Series of suspicions and questions
Russia’s president has approved the RF Government proposal on the establishment of a united military group with Armenia and has instructed to sign it. According to the agreement, followed by the purpose to ensure the security of each of the parties to the Collective Security in the Caucasus region, a united military force of two countries is established which will be able to adequately respond to an armed attack as well as “other security threats and challenges of the parties.” Interestingly, “the agreement is not directed against any third country.” It is expected that in the peacetime, the armed group will be placed under the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia while during the war time, depending on the situation, also under “the commandership of the troops of the Southern Okrug of Russia.”
By whose possible attacks and threat will this armed group defend us: Azerbaijan or Turkey? But if the united armed group is not directed against the “third country”, how is it going to counter the “other security threats”? And maybe Russia has Georgia in mind? In short, the questions are many but there are no clear explanations from the Armenian side as to what functions the united armed group is going to carry out. So far, we can only make assumptions, and there are concerns that Moscow can surprise Armenia by this agreement, by drawing our country into problems. At this point, currently, we can state that the level of Russia-Azerbaijan relations are as such that the created divisions can hardly be used against Azerbaijani aggression when, for example, there is a necessity to protect the borders of Armenia from Aliyev’s unleashed encroachments.
Apparently, Moscow is seeking to have control and influence over the Armenian army with this “plan”. Why not, it can also be viewed as an opening of a green road for the deployment of Russian peacemakers in the case of some developments in Nagorno-Karabakh.
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It is worth reminding that during the four-day war in April, on April 4, Serzh Sargsyan noted that he has instructed the Foreign Ministry to work toward signing a military cooperation agreement with Nagorno-Karabakh. In those days, people were saying that the upcoming agreement will create grounds for the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh. But so far, the face of the agreement remains unknown. How will the Armenian-Russian joint armed group act in the possible war situations on the borders of Karabakh and Armenia, and whose commands will it obey? If in the case of war or threat of war it will be placed under the Russian armed forces, in this case, the questions, of course, become many … Or, if, for example, Russia would have some problems in Georgia, should Armenia also be involved in Russia’s possible actions with this united armed group.
Incidentally, was it not strange that the RA President Serzh Sargsyan in his interview with Dmitry Kiselyov by “Rossiya Segodnya” news agency, referring to the united Armenian-Russian armed group, made such a statement, “We, of course, will closely study the news that will be included in the agreements by the RF president’s decree”?
In other words, are the surprises not ruled out? Apparently, not because Serzh Sargsyan’s thought was followed by Kiselyov’s specifying questions than explanations by Serzh Sargsyan that he does not thing that in addition to Gyumri there will be a need for the establishment of a new military base, “One military base is enough for small Armenia, simply there is a need to fill it with military capacity.”
Were Azerbaijan’s military exercises “peaceful” while Georgia’s – a threat?
At the “Vaziani” military base near Tbilisi, “NATO-Georgia -2016” military exercises were held in the territory of NATO and Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC) until November 20. The main purpose of the joint military exercises was to ensure the interoperability of the Georgia and NATO armed forces, reports Georgian Defense Ministry representative. “NATO-Georgia 2016” exercises were the second exercises that were held within the framework of Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP).
This event once again deserved tough assessments by Moscow. Russia’s Foreign Ministry simply announced that Russia views similar activeness as a serious threat to the stability and peace in the region. “Georgia’s other neighbors: Abkhazia and South Ossetia, have also expressed their concern,” reads the statement of Russian Foreign Ministry. The Ministry also noted that “the exercised complicate the positive healing process of the Russian-Georgian relations.”
NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in its turn, responded to Moscow, “These exercises are proportionate and fully in line with our international obligations.” The Georgian Foreign Ministry, commenting on Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement related to military exercises held with NATO in Georgia, said, “NATO and Georgia cooperation is aimed at peace, stability and development in the region serving the interests of all parties. “NATO-Georgia 2016″ military exercises held in Georgia confirm the firm Euro-Atlantic course of Georgia.” It is noteworthy that almost on the same days, on November 12-18, Azerbaijani armed forces held large-scale military exercises. According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, the drills were attended by up to 60 thousand military staff, more than 50 aircraft and helicopters, more than 150 tanks and 700 missile and artillery systems.
However, Armenia’s strategic ally Russia did not consider it “a serious threat to stability and peace in the region” aimed against the security of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is clear why, if they are arming Azerbaijan, why should they consider their large-scale drills a threat. It is worth mentioning here that recently, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office in South Caucasus, William Lahue’s observation when in response to the question of “Aravot” regarding the activation of the Turkish factor in the Middle Eastern region, he reversed saying, “Russia – your allies – supplies weapons to Azerbaijan. From the military aspect, the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are not as essential as the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. Russia provides all main types of weapons to Azerbaijan: aircraft, helicopters …”
EMMA GABRIELYAN
“Aravot”
24.11.2016
Once you put your national army in the command of another nation you have sold out your nation and your indepence. We have a bunch of uneducated people in our government that they don t know what
kind of a mess they are putting Armenia into. This is called treason.