(MENAFN) In a significant diplomatic statement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has advised Armenia to collaborate with Turkey and Azerbaijan in fostering peace rather than relying on the West for weapons and training. Erdogan's remarks, delivered on Monday during a press conference in Ankara, contained thinly veiled criticism of the United States and France, suggesting that certain Western powers have yet to comprehend the transformative impact of the Karabakh War on the Caucasus and the wider region.
The Karabakh War, culminating in last month's resolution of the 2020 conflict, witnessed Azerbaijan reclaiming the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to the exodus of local ethnic Armenians. Erdogan, without explicitly naming any countries, alluded to Paris and Washington as the principal supporters of Yerevan in the West. He asserted that those who had been inciting Armenia for years and capitalizing on regional conflicts had inflicted considerable harm on the Armenian people.
Erdogan emphasized that Armenia must acknowledge this reality and advised against relying on weapons and training provided by Western countries, asserting that they cannot substitute the lasting peace that a conducive environment can offer. Urging Armenia to prioritize peace, Erdogan encouraged the country to "accept the hand of peace extended by our Azerbaijani brothers."
The Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, has actively sought closer ties with NATO in the aftermath of the Karabakh conflict, attempting to shift blame for the conflict's outcome onto the country's ally, Russia. Notably, both Moscow and Yerevan are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Erdogan's remarks underscore the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the region and raise questions about Armenia's strategic alliances and the pursuit of stability in the aftermath of the Karabakh War.
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