Azerbaijan started extensive military exercises yesterday in which, upon official information, 20.000 soldiers and a lot of military technologies were included. According to some experts, besides pursuing political and propagative objectives, these military exercises “are a legal opportunity” to approach the army and military technology to Artsakh border. The same experts insist that if Azerbaijan attacks, this time it may happen from the South of Artsakh, where fewer peaceful residents are settled, and consequently, fewer issues may arise connected with the international public. Of course, all of that are simply assumptions.
However, the visit of a row of Russian MPs, publicists and public figures to Lele-tepe, the mount nearby the southern border of Artsakh, which we lost during April War, should be viewed within this context. Assuredly the announcements of those political actors should not be considered as the official statement of Kremlin, but imagine Armenian political actors (even opposition) visiting Japan and announcing that four Kuril Islands should be given back to that country. How would that announcement be perceived in Russia? The public speaker and the supporter of Eurasianism, Alexander Dugin (see the photograph) can have no clue about Karabakh negotiations naturally when saying that before the revolution Armenian Government was ready to return five regions to Azerbaijan. This “information” should be highly doubted. In essence, it is not an information, but Azerbaijani propaganda, which Russian political actor carries out for his interest. It is another issue that it should be seriously thought why Azerbaijan has activated that propaganda and why it includes Russians in that propaganda.
Moreover, in the propaganda. During the “former regime” there were structures in Armenia which were propagating. As regards the inner propaganda, those structures failed in doing their job well, according to me. With their bans, restrictions, pressures and other old-fashioned methods, they did not bring about any positive results for Serzh Sargsyan and the Republican Party of Armenia, right the opposite. But there were subdivisions in those structures which dealt with external propaganda and here quite positive experience is accumulated. Thus, one should not refuse the service of the specialists. They may be needed soon enough.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
