“Armenians should not fight, but be friends with Azerbaijan” Israeli expert on Caliber.Az

Caliber.Az presents an interview with a well-known Israeli writer, publicist, military expert Peter Lyukimson. 

- How do you assess Baku's full restoration of sovereignty over the Karabakh region in September this year as a result of 23-hour anti-terrorist measures?

- Azerbaijan, of course, conducted this operation brilliantly. I have been following the world press, I have seen how rumours are being fuelled that Azerbaijanis are preparing a "new genocide of Armenians" and so on in order to induce the West to intervene. But everything was done so competently and clearly that no one can make any claims against Azerbaijan from the viewpoint of international law. And the fact that Armenians left Karabakh, not wanting to become citizens of Azerbaijan - this was their choice, and no one can say anything here either.

The war to liberate the territory occupied by Armenia was brilliantly conducted, and the world, including Israel, should have learnt a lot from the Azerbaijani army. But, alas, this does not seem to have happened.

- How should we understand the anti-Azerbaijani position of France and other European countries, which have been relentlessly criticising Baku since the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity? What goals do they pursue and what do they achieve?

- The problem is that in France and in Europe in general, Armenians are mistakenly considered “Europeans,” while the attitude towards Azerbaijan is completely different. The principle of “friend or foe” works, according to which Armenians are one of their own. Without a doubt, the efforts of Yerevan, which is trying to present what happened in Karabakh as “ethnic cleansing”, “a continuation of genocide”, and to distort the history and realities of the South Caucasus in every possible way, are also having an impact. This will continue, Azerbaijanis should get used to it and understand that they can live with it. We are Jews, we have lived with this for 75 years, and nothing.

- Some experts regard Armenia’s attempts to restore its military potential as an ill-considered step - Yerevan purchases Western-style weapons from various countries, while the Armenian army itself is built in Soviet-Russian likeness. A striking example: French armored vehicles recently delivered to Armenia, which Ukraine refused to purchase. What is your viewpoint on such a defence strategy for Armenia?

- The chaos and unsystematic nature of the procurement of weapons that you are talking about comes, of course, from fear. After the defeat, Armenians - both ordinary people and the leadership of the republic - are in panic fear of the “Azerbaijani military threat.” They convince the West that Azerbaijan is allegedly preparing aggression to build the Zangezur corridor, and under this option, they ask for weapons. But I think the West has no time for Armenia now, so they won’t receive effective help - just scraps.

- Meanwhile, Armenia entered into the Western adventure to create a source of tension in our region. What could be the outcome of such a development of events?

- I think that Russia has no time for Armenia now, so there won’t be much of a reaction. I have always said that Armenians should not fight, but be friends with Azerbaijan. It is in establishing genuine regional cooperation that the key to the economic growth and prosperity of Armenia lies. Such cooperation would benefit Azerbaijan, but it is many times more important and beneficial for Armenia. I am sure that there are those there who understand this, but in the end, Armenia has always chosen the disastrous path of confrontation and military confrontation.

- How do you see the future geopolitical alignment, the balance of power in the South Caucasus? Will the region be peaceful and prosperous or will it get bogged down in conflict and become a battlefield between Russia and the West?

- I'm not Vanga. The future will depend on the goodwill of the peoples living in the region. All sides, not just one. The region is now, of course, at a crossroads, and a lot will depend on whether some positive changes will occur in the public consciousness of the Armenian people or whether they will continue to live by the same stereotypes based on pathological hatred of Azerbaijanis.

I think that Armenia will not disappear from the world map after all. Moreover, this option, strange as it may sound, in my opinion, is extremely disadvantageous for Azerbaijan and Türkiye from all viewpoints.