Marukyan: Knowing We Are Under the Target of Two Powerful Armies, We Allow Ourselves to Be Deceived

Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the 'Enlightened Armenia' party, addressed the 7th article of the Peace Agreement:

ARTICLE VII The parties shall not deploy any third-party forces along their joint border. The parties, until the delimitation of their mutual border and the subsequent demarcation, shall implement mutually agreed measures to strengthen security and confidence, including in the military sector, with the aim of ensuring security and stability in border regions.

“I have repeatedly pointed out this article since it was announced that the Armenian authorities have also agreed to include this provision in the text of the agreement. When discussing the topic, I have always tried to explain to our compatriots that if years later our grandchildren or great-grandchildren decide to establish a military base of any state in our border regions, they will not be able to do so, because the 7th article of the peace agreement excludes this possibility. In response, I was told: yes, but that requirement will apply reciprocally. I have consistently emphasized and continue to insist that Azerbaijan does not have such a problem. Its population is large, its army is powerful, and it is synchronized with the Turkish army.

There is another important factor that should not be forgotten: the half-a-million-strong army of Azerbaijan's ally Turkey is merely 40 kilometers away. In other words, knowing full well that we are under the constant targeting of two powerful armies, we allow ourselves to be deceived by tales of reciprocity. What a delusion!” Marukyan wrote.