Armenia warns of conflict with Azerbaijan as talks falter, eyes Western ties
20 March 2024 10:02
The Prime Minister of Armenia has told the country's citizens that there might be a conflict with Azerbaijan over four villages critical to Yerevan. The situation is expected to become clear by the end of the week. Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, attributes the tense situation to Armenia's discussions with Western countries.
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Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's warning of a possible conflict with Azerbaijan. She opined that Yerevan's current predicament stems from its consultations with Western nations.
"Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan informed residents of the Tavush region that if Yerevan cannot agree with Baku on the border villages, conflict could erupt by the end of the week. The new influences from the European Union, NATO, and Washington have brought upon this situation. Note that Russia is not involved in this matter. It is solely the responsibility of Yerevan's current leadership and results from their discussions with Western partners," Zakharova stated on Telegram.
Russia does not defend Armenia. Yerevan considers exiting the CSTO
The Armenian Prime Minister addressed the issue on Monday with residents in the Tavush region in the north of Armenia, as the Reuters news agency reported. The contested villages, under Yerevan's control since the 1990s, are strategically significant for Armenia. Azerbaijan contends that reclaiming these areas is essential for a peace deal.
Armenia, which, until now, has been an official ally of Russia, feels unprotected by Moscow despite its membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Last week, the Armenian government announced it might withdraw from the CSTO if the alliance does not take its security concerns seriously.
Source: Telegram, WP News
