WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
February 27, 2009 Friday

NAGORNO-KARABAKH FOREIGN MINISTRY ACCUSES THOMAS DE WAAL AS WAR-MONGER

Analytical Service of the Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Ministry commented
on Thomas De Waal’s report "Karabakh Trap: Threats and Dilemmas of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict".

"Some Azerbaijani web sites posted Thomas De Waal’s report in the
middle of January… The report gives an account of force major
scenarios of the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict development and offers
some recommendations to the involved parties and intermediaries."

Elaborating on arguments to be used against the Armenians, the author
suggested a "tactic of intimidation". Chapter "Situation in the
region: Armenia" gave a bleak description of the prospects of Armenian
development. Situation in Azerbaijan on the other hand was painted in
wholly different colors. The author commented on how "the Azerbaijani
military budget in 2008 amounted to three Armenian military budgets",
"Azerbaijani is buying lots of brand-new military hardware", and
"American and Turkish instructors train personnel…"

The author was clearly trying to leave the impression that
preservation of the status quo was impossible because "the losers gain
confidence and await a dramatic turn of the situation in their favor."

"All in all, De Waal essentially encourages Azerbaijan to spark
another big-time war in the southern part of the Caucasus."

Source: REGNUM news agency, February 23, 2009

Translated by Aleksei Ignatkin