Mediapart: Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict..a small world war is in the making

The Nagorno-Karabakh war was one of the first wars in which combat marches were used, and it constituted a warning in several respects of what is happening in Ukraine, and if the current cycle is igniting a proxy clash there between the West and Russia, then the confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, when it expands, could invite a larger number of countries To participate.

The French website Mediapart reviewed - in an article by Joseph Confavreau - what he said is happening in Europe, but in places other than Ukraine, from the violation of borders and the use of combat marches and artillery fire, targeting of energy infrastructure, and civilian deaths, without provoking International discontent or even military support for the attacking party, in reference to the bombing of the Armenian village of Sotk by the Azerbaijani forces.

After describing the attack, the writer indicated that it would prolong the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, that region inhabited mainly by Armenians but located on the territory of Azerbaijan, and the two countries fought wars because of it, after Armenia occupied it in the nineties until Azerbaijan regained it in the “44-day war.” 2020 year.

Armenian concern

The bloody fighting remained confined to the disputed areas between the two countries during those wars - as the writer says - but the territory of Armenia itself was attacked, on the pretext that the Armenian army was laying mines on the border, at a time when the Azerbaijanis are demanding a corridor that crosses southern Armenia to connect their lands with the ruling Nakhchivan Republic. Self.

A joint statement was issued at a summit sponsored by Russian President Vladimir Putin and gathered the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the end of last month, in which the two countries agreed to "refrain from the use or threat of force, and to discuss and resolve all contentious issues on the basis of recognition of mutual sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders." At the same time, talks began, under the auspices of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, amid competition between Russians and Westerners to play a role in the region.

The writer wondered whether this declaration would at least enable the Armenians to recover the bodies and prisoners of war who are still in the hands of Azerbaijan?

He explained that the current fear of a large part of the Armenian community is not due to the fact that the attacks took place within the borders of their country, but also to the videos and photos of the violations that they accuse Azerbaijan of committing against their soldiers.

"We are particularly concerned about the treatment of killed or captured female soldiers. We have confirmed that Azerbaijan has at least 17 prisoners of war and many bodies of soldiers," says Armenian human rights defender Christine Grigoryan.

Paramilitary formations

The writer pointed out that part of the Armenians are seeking to create a force capable of confronting Azerbaijan, and in this context, under the slogan "If you want peace, prepare for war", the non-governmental organization "VoMA" was born, whose name in the Armenian language means "the art of survival." .

Founded in 2014, Foma has many training fields across the country, and it trains Armenian paramilitaries at home and in the diaspora with funding from donors from inside and outside the borders. Since the Azerbaijan attack last September, 600 people have been trained, and more than 2,000 since the 2020 war, indicating the increasing number of volunteers.

"Since 2016, we have become more involved in paramilitary formations, and since the 2020 war we have devoted ourselves to training on how to handle all kinds of weapons that may be required on the battlefield," the deputy director explains.

However, the man wonders, do these exercises, which are nothing more than survival courses, seem ridiculous in the face of Azerbaijan and its modern army?

He explained, "It is the truth that we are weaker than Azerbaijan, but what is happening in Ukraine is a clear example of what civilians can take part in the fighting."

And if Foma is the most prominent organization, it is not the only one that offers paramilitary training in Armenia, there are also Tigrane, Atan and Poga, all of which teach the basics of future war to all who are involved.

The meeting point of global powers

The writer highlighted that Yerevan is at the center of the French far-right programs, as presidential candidates Eric Zemour and Valery Pekeris visited it, considering Christian Armenia as the last bulwark against Islam.

Armenian historian Talin Ter Minassian says, "We are at the meeting point of the powers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, and at the heart of Putin's desire to establish a new international order. Geopolitics is its main resource."

The Mediapart envoy concluded that the possibility of an expansion of the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in light of the war in Ukraine exists, because this small region of the Caucasus crystallizes the divergence of interests and influence games of a range of actors, from Russia to Turkey, from the United States to Iran, and from Israel to China Through Pakistan, which sells arms to Azerbaijan, and India, which supplies Armenia.

Finally, researcher Georgy Derloguyan considers that there is a "small world war" going on here, and that Nagorno-Karabakh, such as "Dantzig, Sarajevo, Alsace or Jerusalem", is one of these symbolic entities on the outskirts of empires, and it can "ignite major fires." .