Azerbaijan's motives for aggression 'have not changed since 1992' - Tessa Hofmann

Hripsime Hovhannisyan

Azerbaijan's motives for aggression against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) have not changed since 1992, the period it made its ever first attempt to re-conquer the territory, says Tessa Hofman, a German scholar specializing in Armenian studies.

In an interview with Tert.am, the historian admitted that Azerbaijan stepped up its aggression under Turkey's support in an effort to expand its country's borders.

"Since 1992, when Azerbaijan tried, for the first time, to militarily re-conquer Artsakh, the motives for its aggression have not changed. The current attempt to capture Artsakh militarily is only the latest example in a long series of violations of the 1994 ceasefire agreement, including the shelling of border areas of the Republic of Armenia. The best known was the Four-Day War of April 2016, which left at least 200 dead. Azerbaijan last attacked the Republic of Armenia in July 2020, leaving 16 dead. The fighting in July 2020 also ended with heavy losses for Azerbaijan. As a result, the Azerbaijani propaganda as well as war and        conquest rhetoric became more radical," she said.

"As in the past, Azerbaijan is again supported by the Republic of Turkey in its military attacks. Turkey sees itself as the protective power of Azerbaijan and thus follows the doctrine of the late Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, according to which Azerbaijanis and Turks form one nation in two states. At the end of July 2020, the Turkish defense minister announced revenge for the Azerbaijani soldiers who had died in the fighting against Armenia. President Erdogan has also promised Azerbaijan support. He describes Armenia as the greatest threat to peace and tranquility in the region," the historian added.

Meantime, she agreed that Ankara's "increasingly aggressive and expansionist foreign policy" has been pursued for years, with the political forces wishing to expand the country's border becoming even stronger. The historian also highlighted the overwhelming effect of the brainwashing tools upon the Turkish society. "At the same time, the Erdogan regime presents itself as the protecting power of the Muslims, fighting against Greece, Israel, and in Libya and Syria for the rights of Islam. In this way, Turkey adds a religious      dimension to the conflict in and around Artsakh that this territorial conflict originally did not have. According to reliable  reports, Turkish military personnel as well as thousands of Syrian Islamist terrorists who are flown from Turkey to Azerbaijan to fight for Azerbaijan  are involved," she said.

 Hofmann further cited the Armenian ambassador in Moscow, Vardan Toghanyan, who said that an estimated 4,000 mercenaries from northern Syria are involved in the current offensive. Meantime she referred to the remark by Arayik Harutyunyan, the president of Nagorno-Karabakh, describing the scale and  intensity of the offensive as "unprecedented".

Addressing the international reaction to the hostilities, the expert noted that both Russia and France have advised an immediate end to the fighting and a return to negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group format. She also emphasized the similar calls by the German Foreign Minister and the US Department of State. "At the level of non-governmental human rights organizations, we should call on international organizations and national governments to urge Turkey in particular to exercise political and military restraint so as not to add to the regionally tense situation. In view of its genocidal past, Turkey in particular can be expected to exercise restraint in conflicts with and in Armenia. In the further negotiations of the OSCE Minsk   Group, it would be urgently necessary to re-include Artsakh as a direct participant in the conflict," she said.