Armenia is worried over Turkey's expansionist policy, adviser says
14.09.2020,
19:30
Armenia cannot but be worried about Turkey's aggressive expansionist policy, Ruben Karapetyan, an adviser to the country's s foreign minister, said in an interview with the Federal News Agency.
YEREVAN, September 14. /ARKA/. Armenia cannot but be worried about Turkey's aggressive expansionist policy, Ruben Karapetyan, an adviser to the country's s foreign minister, said in an interview with the Federal News Agency.
"In recent years, the instability and crisis situations in the region have been posing threats and risks both to the security of Armenia and to ensuring the normal life of the Armenian communities across the Middle East. Therefore, we cannot but be worried about Turkey's aggressive expansionist policy, which is aimed at open confrontation in different parts of the region," he said.
The adviser noted that Turkey thereby is aggravating the already extremely aggravated situation in the region, further destabilizing it.
"The information that the Syrian militants are being trained in Azerbaijan to participate in hostilities against Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is a vivid example of this. Taking into account the precedents of Azerbaijan's use of extremists and the export of terrorists to various regions practiced by Turkey, we take such a threat very seriously," Karapetyan said.
Earlier, the Kurdish news agency Firat reported that Turkey will send militants from the armed groups of the Syrian opposition in support of the Azerbaijani army. Official Ankara has denied these reports.
Ruben Karapetyan noted that for many years Armenia has been raising this issue both on international platforms and in the format of bilateral discussions with partners.
"We have repeatedly warned about the catastrophic consequences of this policy, especially after the April 2016 aggression, when Islamic State militants and radicals from Turkish nationalist groups were thrown against the peaceful population of Karabakh," he said.
According to Karapetyan, Armenia is committed to the policy of de-radicalization of the region and will call for more decisive measures to prevent the spread of radicalism and extremism in the region, especially when the use of terrorists serves as a means of achieving the political goals of individual states or their leaders.
In this context, he also noted that the new Middle East strategy of Armenia is aimed at active involvement in the processes taking place in the region, in order to neutralize the obvious threats and challenges that arise from the incessant conflicts, civil and "proxy" wars, uncontrolled activities of terrorist groups and border extremist forces, as well as deepening socio-economic, financial, humanitarian and demographic crises.
"Armenia is extremely interested in strengthening the security and stability of the Middle East region, which is an important component of the security environment of our country and is of strategic importance not only due to the presence of Armenian communities in the region, but, which is no less important, for the protection and promotion of our national interests," Karapetyan said.
In particular, the diplomat pointed out that the visit of Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan to Egypt is a significant step for enhancing foreign policy ties with the Middle East region, as well as an important message that the region is of particular interest to Armenia.
"This is a new foreign policy course in the region, aimed at the dynamic development of multi-vector cooperation with the Middle East countries," Karapetyan said. -0-
"In recent years, the instability and crisis situations in the region have been posing threats and risks both to the security of Armenia and to ensuring the normal life of the Armenian communities across the Middle East. Therefore, we cannot but be worried about Turkey's aggressive expansionist policy, which is aimed at open confrontation in different parts of the region," he said.
The adviser noted that Turkey thereby is aggravating the already extremely aggravated situation in the region, further destabilizing it.
"The information that the Syrian militants are being trained in Azerbaijan to participate in hostilities against Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is a vivid example of this. Taking into account the precedents of Azerbaijan's use of extremists and the export of terrorists to various regions practiced by Turkey, we take such a threat very seriously," Karapetyan said.
Earlier, the Kurdish news agency Firat reported that Turkey will send militants from the armed groups of the Syrian opposition in support of the Azerbaijani army. Official Ankara has denied these reports.
Ruben Karapetyan noted that for many years Armenia has been raising this issue both on international platforms and in the format of bilateral discussions with partners.
"We have repeatedly warned about the catastrophic consequences of this policy, especially after the April 2016 aggression, when Islamic State militants and radicals from Turkish nationalist groups were thrown against the peaceful population of Karabakh," he said.
According to Karapetyan, Armenia is committed to the policy of de-radicalization of the region and will call for more decisive measures to prevent the spread of radicalism and extremism in the region, especially when the use of terrorists serves as a means of achieving the political goals of individual states or their leaders.
In this context, he also noted that the new Middle East strategy of Armenia is aimed at active involvement in the processes taking place in the region, in order to neutralize the obvious threats and challenges that arise from the incessant conflicts, civil and "proxy" wars, uncontrolled activities of terrorist groups and border extremist forces, as well as deepening socio-economic, financial, humanitarian and demographic crises.
"Armenia is extremely interested in strengthening the security and stability of the Middle East region, which is an important component of the security environment of our country and is of strategic importance not only due to the presence of Armenian communities in the region, but, which is no less important, for the protection and promotion of our national interests," Karapetyan said.
In particular, the diplomat pointed out that the visit of Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan to Egypt is a significant step for enhancing foreign policy ties with the Middle East region, as well as an important message that the region is of particular interest to Armenia.
"This is a new foreign policy course in the region, aimed at the dynamic development of multi-vector cooperation with the Middle East countries," Karapetyan said. -0-
