Large-scale war over Nagorno-Karabakh ruled out – ex-minister
The possibility of a renewed war over Nagorno-Karabakh is almost entirely ruled out despite the recent US intelligence report predicting a higher tension in the conflict zone, former Armenian minister of defense has said.
“To predict the chances of a large-scale war, we need to evaluate our balance instead of the developments in the region. As to whether Azerbaijan has any chances to launch [a war], I find that such a likelihood is very low; I almost rule it out,” Lieutenant-General Vagharshak Harutyunyan told reporters on Monday.
The former official said he thinks that Azerbaijan exaggerates its military budget intentionally, pursuing propaganda purposes. “Azerbaijan faces threats by both Iran and in the Caspian Sea, where too, they need to ensure security. It has to have navy Caspian Sea, which is a very expensive armament,” he added.
Harutyunyan said he sticks to the viewpoint that Azerbaijan does not make an effective use of its military budget. “Armenia acquires weapons for a fivefold or sixfold cheaper price, while Azerbaijan purchases them for market prices,” he said, adding that the psychological atmosphere in Azerbaijan’s military does not seem to be compatible to their technical equipment.
Asked what Azerbaijan’s seeks to achieve by continually escalating the tension, Harutyunyan replied, “Azerbaijan is not ready for a negotiated settlement of the problem. But at the same time, Azerbaijan is not ready for a war.”
“All they want is to create an atmosphere of intimidation – a blackmail against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, to put it plainly. They are also blackmailing the co-chairs [of the OSCE Minsk Group], as well as the states which export oil from Azerbaijan,” he said, adding that a key task at the moment is to give the country a clear hint that the policy chosen does not promise a success.
“Israel once agreed to concessions, and what happened as a result is that the war never ended. We should understand that this is our victory and bear our cross; that’s the price we have to accept.”
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