"Decisions for Yerevan are taken by external handlers" Experts speak about Armenia's toxic role in the region

Armenia unambiguously seeks maximum destabilization of the South Caucasus. There are no doubts about it; take for example the latest categorical statements of Yerevan which a priori accuse Baku of inevitable "genocide" and "occupation" of the territories which have never belonged to Armenia. Moreover, all these indiscriminate attacks are accompanied by "preventive" measures: Yerevan is pumping the Karabakh separatists located in the RPC zone of responsibility with weapons and ammunition, and defensive fortifications - dugouts and trenches - are being constructed there.

In addition, Armenia has entered a confrontation with Moscow by adopting the Rome Statute, methodically disintegrating the CSTO bloc and squeezing the Russian military out of its country. Yerevan is attempting to undermine Moscow's credibility as a platform for peace talks by refusing to participate in preparations for the signing of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, once again proving that Armenia has no plans for good-neighbourly coexistence with our country.

What are the motives that drive the Armenian authorities to pursue such a toxic policy? Will Yerevan succeed in provoking a new war in the South Caucasus?

According to Kirill Koktysh, a political scientist and professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Yerevan is pursuing a new escalation in the South Caucasus.

"The current Armenian leadership essentially demonstrates a lack of subjectivity: it is difficult to get rid of the feeling that Yerevan's decisions are made by external handlers, whose goals do not include the stabilization of the situation in the South Caucasus," he told Caliber.Az.

In the same context, he said, one can speculate which levers of influence on the Armenian leadership are at work, but it is already obvious that in this scenario "the interests of Armenia and the Armenian people are simply sacrificed and exchanged".

Russia, on the other hand, emphasises that Russian-Armenian relations are between peoples, not governments.

"The latter come and go, but nations live together for centuries. Therefore, Moscow will first and foremost be watching closely to see to what extent the Armenian leadership manages to maintain its legitimacy under its current political course," he believes.

Kazakhstani political analyst Azat Akhmetov gave an even harsher assessment of the situation in which Armenia is being driven by its authorities. He believes that the phrase "suitcase without a handle", which politicians and political analysts often describe Armenia with, is becoming more relevant every day.

Russia, in his words, has finally realized that it is very expensive and disadvantageous to be associated with Armenia, and such conclusions have to be drawn upon almost every point of the Armenian-Russian cooperation. And other countries are coming to a similar conclusion.

"Armenia is a country that lives on subsidies and constantly begs for money from various states and organisations. It practically constantly milks the EU financial institutions. However, it mostly generates losses for its partners. Russia's economic sector, which is widely represented in Armenia by the transport and energy companies, operates at a minimum profit. The same can be said about the 'Armenian word of honour', which is used to pay for the services of Rosatom, for example, instead of money. Almost the entire Armenian energy system, which depends on the resources of the Metsamor nuclear power plant, which Rosatom maintains and periodically repairs, exists at the expense of a long-term loan to Yerevan from Moscow.

And what's in return? In return, Yerevan is gradually abandoning all of its partnership obligations towards Russia, creating a new round of tension in the South Caucasus, and destroying the mechanism of the Trilateral Statement, of which, incidentally, Moscow is the guarantor. As we can see, Russia is extremely indignant about this," the political analyst said.

Armenia, Akhmetov said, subjected the region to more tests through its destructive actions in the South Caucasus. Thus, it deploys on its territory the new EU mission, which is not aimed at the peaceful settlement of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations. And the almost complete refusal to work on a peace treaty, the support for separatist forces in Karabakh, and the groundless accusations of "genocide" that Baku is allegedly preparing are vivid signs of Armenia's current destructive policy.

"Accordingly, other countries, including those in Central Asia, have far from rosy illusions about possible cooperation with Armenia. It is clear that a country, whose parties and organizations have been implicated in cooperation with global terrorism, and Pashinyan's highly unreliable government, both economically and in terms of fulfilling its obligations to its partners, which is escalating the situation in Karabakh in Azerbaijan, are extremely distrustful of the Central Asian states. Why and who needs to cooperate with a lossmaker-state, which also has a very reactionary and aggressive foreign policy? Many people understand and prefer Azerbaijan's position, its thoughtful view on the improvement of the region, and its economic and transit opportunities. And Armenia, if Yerevan does not change its destructive course shortly, will face the probable collapse of the country and complete political stagnation," the Kazakhstani expert believes.