Azerbaijan's Parade: Announcement of a Geopolitical Agenda - Davit Babayan

Advisor to the President of Artsakh, Davit Babayan, speaking about the parade held in Baku, noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan presented their geopolitical aspirations' "roadmap." In an interview with a NEWS.am correspondent, Babayan stated, "For every patriot, witnessing what occurred during the parade was a heavy ordeal. However, we must carefully observe all events in Azerbaijan and Turkey. The parade has effectively become an announcement of a certain geopolitical program, the official introduction of that program to the world. The parade itself was the first pan-Turkic event since 1918. Notably, Erdoğan mentioned Nuri Pasha and Talaat in his speech, emphasizing Turkey's continued genocidal policies against the Armenian people and its geopolitical goals for the future, which include the founding of a pan-Turkic state. It is no coincidence that the parade was Turkish-Azerbaijani in nature, with a large number of Turkish troops participating, who had been involved in the war against Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey once again demonstrated its involvement in the regional conflict. The event and, particularly, Erdoğan’s statements received a strong reaction from Iran. What Erdoğan said was a message not only directed at the Armenian people but also a challenge to Iran, Russia, China, and many other countries. Overall, the establishment of a pan-Turkic caliphate would deal a significant blow to both Europe and Israel," emphasized Davit Babayan.

He continued, “Many questions arise: Turkey is a NATO member state. If I’m not mistaken, over two thousand Turkish military personnel, recognized as NATO troops, participated in the parade. I believe Armenian diplomacy should clarify with foreign partners whether this was coordinated with NATO member countries and whether approval was granted. Was this Turkey’s initiative, or were these coordinated actions? First and foremost, we need answers to these questions. There is a clear understanding in Nagorno-Karabakh regarding the issues at hand and the challenges they pose. Our response must be very serious. Erdoğan declares, 'Armenia must learn lessons and take appropriate steps.' What steps? We see some politicians asserting the need to 'normalize relations' with the winning side, thereby acknowledging their defeat. But what does the winning side want? Under what conditions are they willing to normalize relations? I can imagine: one condition might be the refusal to recognize the Genocide; another might be the abandonment of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is evident that under the first condition, there is an implication of renouncing the concept of Western Armenia. Are we prepared for that? Any move we make could either strengthen our statehood or lead us into the abyss. Are we ready for these challenges? Absolutely, yes. There are adequate grounds for that. First and foremost, we must improve our relations with our fraternal countries, such as Russia. However, if we continue to listen to the demagogues, we could ultimately lose our statehood, and that would mean the end of the Armenian people in their own territories. Therefore, the parade and the message are very important; they are essentially the 'roadmap' of geopolitical plans being matured by Turkey and Azerbaijan. And I am more than confident that these plans have long been meticulously crafted,” concluded Davit Babayan.