By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Yerevan is frightened by any actions of Baku, even in the most peace-loving initiatives it sees far-reaching military plans.
Last week, an important decision was made in terms of protecting the sovereignty and security of Azerbaijan. There was a redistribution of forces, extremely significant and with a serious eye on the future.
The President of Azerbaijan, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev, has instructed the transfer of combat posts and military facilities on the state border with Armenia to Gazakh and Agstafa regions to the control of the State Border Service.
That is, the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia will henceforth be guarded by border troops, and not by parts of the regular army.
Elchin Guliyev, head of the State Border Service, said at a reporting meeting on the results of the service and combat activities of the State Border Service in 2018, the decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief is aimed at further increasing the combat capability of military units and units of the country's Defense Ministry, creating new reserve forces and strengthening the combat readiness of personnel.
With this decision, Azerbaijan once again demonstrated that it has no claims on the internationally recognized territory of Armenia. Baku respects international law. At present, Armenia is recognized by the international community within the existing borders, and the Azerbaijani side does not intend to change anything, although it has all the possibilities and grounds for this. Replacing the regular army with border guards is another proof of good intentions and a blow to Armenian propaganda, which frightens its own population of the border area with “Azerbaijani aggression”. This is a definite signal to the mediating countries, unequivocally speaking about the clear border that is being drawn in Azerbaijan between war and peace.
However, Yerevan should not consider this as a weakening of the positions of Azerbaijan and a decrease in the level of security in the frontline zone. The border area continues to remain the front line because Armenia continues provoking tension in Karabakh. The state border and border settlements of Azerbaijan are also under the constant sight of Armenia. Numerous incidents by Yerevan have a clear goal to provoke an interstate conflict with the possibility of drawing allies into the process.
The reaction from the Armenian side did not immediately follow, but frightened voices are already heard. Some Armenian military experts have shown concern over the actions of Baku on Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Of course, experts are aware of the deplorable situation of the Armenian armed forces, and therefore their fears are quite understandable. Moreover, it is well known that the peace process does not meet the interests of Armenia, and therefore the representatives of the former and current military circles are doing everything to prevent it.
In reality, Armenia does not take any steps to defrost the situation. The current authorities have no success in terms of improving the economy of Armenia and the life of the Armenian people as a whole.
In such a situation, it is necessary to revise the old myths of the Armenian propaganda and to do everything possible to improve relations with neighbors, especially with Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is difficult to build a democratic state with rights and freedoms for citizens when these citizens are empty in their wallets due to bad relations with their neighbors and the fact that as a result of this, all important economic projects bypass Armenia.