Caucaz

Here’s the full text of the written interview that I gave to Dutch journalist Laura Oorschot, who incorporated some of the insight during her appearance on blckbx’s livestream on this subject on 22 September.

1. How would you describe Pashinyan’s political position at present?

Pashinyan is in a very difficult position after this week’s events since many among the population consider him a traitor to their national cause, which they regard as extending into Azerbaijan’s Karabakh Region. He came to power in what can be described as a Color Revolution that he fueled through a combination of nationalist and liberal rhetoric. The 2020 conflict and the latest one discredited his nationalist credentials, while his orders to break up protests after both discredit his liberal ones.

A fresh disaster may be looming in Nagorny Karabakh, the majority-Armenian highland enclave within the borders of Azerbaijan.

On September 19, a lightning Azerbaijani offensive overwhelmed inferior Armenian forces, and Azerbaijan took possession of the province it had not controlled in thirty-five years. Locals reported at least 200 casualties, and there were credible reports of civilian deaths.

Le conflit chronique entre Arméniens et Azerbaïdjanais resurgit après une période d’accalmie, ou de guerre de basse intensité. Pour le contrôle du Haut-Karabakh. La guerre la plus stupide du monde, disait à l’époque un diplomate d’une autre ancienne république soviétique, bien plus grande. Parce que la région contestée est absolument dépourvue de ressources naturelles d’importance. Et de toute importance stratégique. De plus, le conflit qui dure depuis trente ans l’a presque dépeuplée. Bref, un désert. Mais un désert pour lequel des gens continuent de se battre et de mourir.

The Armenian separatist forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday agreed to lay down their weapons following Azerbaijan’s lightning offensive in the Armenian-majority enclave. Between Moscow’s weakening position in the Caucasus and the West’s dependence on hydrocarbons, Azerbaijan has taken advantage of a favourable international context to complete a decades-long mission to control the disputed region.

On Tuesday September 19, 2023, the Republic of Azerbaijan launched a military operation against terrorist Armenian forces in Karabakh region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan sovereign territory but has been ruled by an ethnic Armenian “so called government” since 1994.

A Russian Red Cross truck carrying humanitarian aid entered Nagorno-Karabakh from the Azerbaijani city of Aghdam on September 12.

It was the first delivery of supplies to the territory in nearly three months, since Azerbaijan shut down all traffic on the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting the Armenian-populated region to the Republic of Armenia.

Over the past few days, footage has circulated across Azerbaijani social media appearing to show increased movement of Azerbaijani troops around Nagorno-Karabakh and along the border with Armenia.

Military shipments from Israel to Azerbaijan appear to have increased simultaneously, raising fears among Armenians of another impending attack from Azerbaijan.