Baku Again Resorts to the Increase of Tension on the Borders

• 02.08.2016, 12:52
• Greta Avetisyan
•  Region,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World,  NKR,  Analytics

Unfortunately, during the recent days the tension on the borders has escalated. The Azerbaijani side has again shot in the direction of peaceful residents – on Berkaber village. This is a policy adopted by Azerbaijan long time ago, to which the authorities of this country resort every time, when there is a need to hide something happening inside the country or express their protest and discontent towards a third party.

This time as well Azerbaijan had its "reasons" for the increase of tension on the borders. One of them is the difficult social-economic situation in the country. Decrease of oil prices, increase of prices in the country, protests, discontent among the society: all this has reached to such a level that the Azerbaijani authorities have lost their control on the society. Though, in such a case the threat of war as a restricting means for the society is quite difficult to use, it has still not lost its relevance.

The next and maybe the main reason for border tension are the events around PACE anti-Armenian reports. The warning of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to the PACE parliamentarians several days before the PACE Winter Session that their steps may undermine the Minsk Group’s mandate and complicate ongoing negotiations, as well as the failure of Walter’s draft resolution were real shocks for Azerbaijan.

This shock was expressed first in the statement of the Azerbaijani President, then that of Foreign Minister – both of them very openly accused the OSCE MG Co-Chairs in using double standards. If until recently such accusations could be heard from lower level officials, then the created unexpected situation led the Azerbaijani President become an author of groundless accusations. Thus by creating tension on the borders, Azerbaijan tries to justify its steps and to show that the OSCE MG Co-Chairs are not able to ensure peace on the borders.

Despite the manipulations of Azerbaijan, everyone should understand it forever, that the OSCE MG is the only accepted format of negotiations around Karabakh conflict and Azerbaijan’s distractive steps and efforts to move the negotiations to other platforms only hinder the negotiations. In this context it would be more logical if the Co-Chairs and the international community in general came up with more addressed calls to the sides, as well as make Azerbaijan agree with introducing investigation mechanisms on the borders.