EU-Azerbaijan on the one hand, and Russia-Turkey-Iran, on the other hand. What's happening?

Baku/20.07.22/Turan: Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan said in an interview with the “Armenpress” agency that conscripts from Armenia are no longer sent to Karabakh. But the "conscripts" in Karabakh will continue to be called up to serve in the "defense army". According to Grigoryan, the units of the Armenian Armed Forces "sent during the war to help Karabakh", after the cessation of hostilities and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers, were withdrawn from Karabakh. Grigoryan, calling this decision a "legitimate step", claims that the "defense army" and Russian peacekeepers ensure the safety of the Armenians living in Karabakh.

The meeting of the Astana trio on the Syrian settlement with the participation of the presidents of Russia, Iran and Turkey Vladimir Putin, Ibrahim Raisi and Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ended. The timing of this meeting with the signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in the field of energy between Azerbaijan and the European Union raises questions.

Political observer Ahmed Alili  comments on these and other questions  in the "Difficult question"  program.

The expert assumes that Armen Grgoryan's statement is the result of pressure exerted on Armenia by the United States and Russia. “Until now, Armenia in every possible way denied the presence of its armed forces in Karabakh. Recognition of   presence of its Armed Forces  in Karabakh  is a great achievement. Because, they previously claimed that only the “NKR Defense Army” is in Karabakh.

At the same time, Alili stressed that Grigoryan stated that the presence of the Russian peacekeeping forces in itself indicates the recognition by the Russian Federation of the existence of a real ontological danger for the Armenians of Karabakh, and the Russian peacekeeping forces are of key importance in ensuring the security of the Armenians of Karabakh.

“I perceive these words as the advancement of conditions by the Armenian side on the eve of negotiations with Azerbaijan,” the expert said.

Alili also noted that now, in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, a new balance of power is being formed. And the formation of a new balance is beginning to manifest itself in the South Caucasus.

“The result of the formation of a new balance is the weakening of Russia's positions in the region and, on the contrary, the strengthening of Turkey, while Iran remains in the same power category. An evidence of the above-said is at least the fact that Russia is now forced to discuss the issue of Syria with Turkey and Iran. Although, quite recently Russia solved all issues in Syria alone,” the political scientist believes. –0—