Turkey Provokes New Tensions in the Region

"The balance of power in our region is such that external security threats for Armenia are always актуал. The main security threat to our country comes from Azerbaijan, which is trying to resume military operations through various means and refuses to recognize the independence of Artsakh. However, another significant external threat for Armenia comes from neighboring Turkey. This country is now in a different weight category, with a population of over 80 million, enormous economic power, and it even ranks among the G20 countries, possessing a military force incomparable to others, serving as the southeastern wing of NATO.

Turkey, as part of its anti-Armenian political agenda, openly supports Azerbaijan. It is not coincidental that the Turkish side sets preconditions for opening borders and establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia, one of which relates to a pro-Azerbaijani solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Furthermore, the Turkey-Azerbaijan tandem is pursuing a policy of economically blockading and isolating Armenia. This is why almost all regional strategic initiatives and significant communication routes bypass our country. Over time, Turkey is trying to increase its involvement in the region and even beyond it. It is no accident that the Turkish army occasionally invades northern Syria or Iraq under the pretext of eliminating Kurdish militants, violating the sovereignty of these countries.

Interestingly, Turkey is also attempting to strengthen its influence in the Mediterranean region. The Turkish side is executing illegal drilling projects in the exclusive economic zone and coastal wetlands of the Republic of Cyprus, rich in minerals.

Alongside this, Turkey does not shy away from increasing its involvement in the Libyan civil war. Driven by its ambition to achieve supremacy in the Islamic world, Turkey creates a complex chain of geopolitical contradictions.

The year 2023 marks the centenary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, and the country aims to restore its powerful empire status in this anniversary year. In this context, the Azerbaijani direction remains one of the priorities of Turkish foreign policy, which explains the excessively pro-Azerbaijani reaction from Turkey regarding the recent military incident on the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border.

It is no coincidence that Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Armenian actions while expressing unconditional support for Azerbaijan, statements echoed by Foreign Minister Cavusoglu, as well as by the press secretary of the Turkish presidency Ibrahim Kalin and the ruling Justice and Development Party's press secretary Omer Celik.

With such statements, Turkey provokes tensions in the region and attempts to stoke the fire of this tension. It is not coincidental that recent leaks in the media revealed Turkey had plans to invade Armenia. Although many do not take these plans seriously, they should raise alarm.

In this situation, what should Armenia do? It is necessary for our country to activate its foreign policy aimed at curbing Turkey's appetite, and within this framework, deepen its collaborations with those countries whose contradictions with Turkey are deepening. Potential partners could be Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Syria, and even Russia, the EU, and the USA. This way, we need to deter and balance Turkey."

The full article can be read in today’s newspaper.