According to Armen Sargsyan, the Caucasus could become “another Syria”.
The Caucasus region, against the backdrop of the exacerbation in Nagorno-Karabakh, will become a huge new problem unless the international community intervenes. This was stated by Armenian President Armen Sargsyan to CNBC on Thursday.
“Can you imagine if the Caucasus becomes another Syria?” – said Sarkisian. – “The international community must realize that if we don’t intervene [in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] now, the Caucasus will become a huge new problem.”
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on September 27, with active fighting on the disputed territory. Martial law has been introduced in Azerbaijan and Armenia, and mobilization has been announced. Both sides report deaths and injuries, including among the civilian population. Baku has announced that several Karabakh villages and strategic heights have been taken under control. Yerevan refutes these reports and reports shelling of Armenian territory, among other things.
Baku and Yerevan have been contesting Nagorno-Karabakh since February 1988, when the region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan SSR. During the 1992-1994 armed conflict, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts.