Erdogan Strives to Expand His Influence in the Region: Armenian Prime Minister's Interview with TIME

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has given an interview to TIME, during which he responded to questions regarding the military actions launched by Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh border zone, as well as Turkey's transportation of terrorist groups to the region.

Below is an article about the interview: In the interview with TIME, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Turkey of already engaging in military intervention on behalf of Azerbaijan, claiming that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is working to expand his influence in the region. "Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh have become a civilizational frontline," Pashinyan said during a phone conversation with TIME on October 2, accusing Erdogan of sending 1,500 to 2,000 Syrian terrorists to support Azerbaijan.

Citing Turkey's military incursions into Syria, Libya, as well as Turkey's confrontations with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, Pashinyan stated, "Turkey's actions are nothing more than attempts aimed at restoring the Ottoman Empire." When asked whether he believed his actions at the brink of the conflict provoked Azerbaijan, Pashinyan replied that upon coming to power, he made a historic call proposing a new framework for resolving the conflict, one that should satisfy both Azerbaijanis and Armenians. According to him, his subsequent statements were made in response to Aliyev's maximalist position.

Pashinyan asserted that as a condition for a ceasefire, Armenia insists that Turkey "cease its involvement" and "withdraw or neutralize mercenaries and terrorists." He argued that mercenaries are persecuting people in Azerbaijani villages and looting alcoholic beverage shops, demanding that they adhere to Sharia law. According to Pashinyan, there are currently 1,500 to 2,000 terrorists in Azerbaijan.