Azerbaijan could soon invade Armenia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned a small group of lawmakers.
About the planned invasion reports Politico, citing two sources familiar with the situation. The US administration is deeply concerned about Azerbaijan’s operations against the separatist region in the west of the country and the possibility of the conflict spreading.
Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called on Armenia to open a “corridor” along its southern border that would connect mainland Azerbaijan with the exclave bordering Turkey and Iran. Aliyev threatened to resolve the issue “by force.”
The publication’s sources also reported that in a conversation on October 3, lawmakers insisted that the State Department take possible measures against Aliyev in response to his country’s September invasion of the Karabakh region. Blinken responded that the State Department was looking at ways to hold Azerbaijan accountable and had no plans to continue providing military assistance to Baku. He added that the US sees the possibility of Azerbaijan invading southern Armenia in the coming weeks.
Speaking to Democratic lawmakers, Blinken expressed confidence about ongoing diplomatic talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In a statement, the State Department declined to comment on the telephone conversation, but emphasized the department’s commitment to the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia” and resolving the conflict through “direct negotiations.”
Let us recall that in September the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan announced the start of an “anti-terrorist” operation in areas of the Nagorno-Karabakh region controlled by ethnic Armenians. In anticipation of this operation, Azerbaijan has increased its military buildup around Nagorno-Karabakh. Tensions have been high in the South Caucasus for several months.
Azerbaijan regained control of Nagorno-Karabakh during a 24-hour military operation that triggered the flight of most of the territory’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians to Armenia.
European leaders hoped to hold the first meeting in Spain between the President of Azerbaijan and the head of government of Armenia after Baku’s offensive on Karabakh. However, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev refused negotiations and did not come to Granada. Also, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who supports Azerbaijan in its confrontation with Armenia, did not attend the summit in Granada.
A statement issued by the Greek Foreign Ministry on September 29 said that Greece was following with particular concern the escalation of tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and called on “all parties to show restraint, immediately cease hostilities and return to the negotiating table.” According to the department, “the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law is the only path to regional security and stability.” It is worth noting that due to historical contacts, Greece unconditionally supports Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan, considering it a continuation of Turkey’s policy towards its neighbors.
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