CIS official: Azerbaijan and Armenia could face migration pressures

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan could face a migration crisis triggered by escalating instability in the Middle East, the head of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Centre warned.

Speaking in Moscow at a meeting of security and counterterrorism officials from Commonwealth of Independent States members, Yevgeny Sysoev pointed to a sharp deterioration in the global security environment.

“Key external factors undoubtedly include developments in the Middle East. The disruption of supplies of energy resources and mineral fertilisers, strikes on critical infrastructure facilities, as well as risks of further escalation, create the preconditions for a large-scale catastrophe, capable of provoking powerful migration processes and a humanitarian crisis similar to Libya and Iraq. All CIS countries could potentially face its consequences, primarily those bordering Iran — Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkmenistan,” he said as quoted by Belarus media.

The warning was delivered at the 19th meeting of senior officials from CIS states responsible for counterterrorism coordination and extremism prevention.

By Tamilla Hasanova