Fire opened by Azerbaijani troops on Armenian border villages, and systematic violations of the ceasefire are due to the policy conducted by Azerbaijani and the desire of official Baku to maintain its influence more or less in the region, political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan told Panorama.am.

In particular, he explained Azerbaijani troops’s increased activity in recent days by the joint Turkish-Azerbaijani military drills currently underway in Azerbaijan.

“I am sure the tension is conditioned by Turkish-Azerbaijani drills and the presence of the Turkish army in the territory of Azerbaijan. In the present situation when Ilham Aliyev does not assist Turkey with the fight against the Kurds, he has to show his own problems by playing with the country’s security,” Melik-Shahnazaryan noted.

In his words, through this policy Azerbaijan is trying to demonstrate its own importance in the region in order to solve both domestic and external problems. “Attempts are made so that superpowers could hold negotiations with Azerbaijan to try to persuade it. In fact, it is blackmail, and it should be noted that in the past few years this method has worked,” Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

As regards Azerbaijan’s policy aimed at marinating the tension, the political scientist said: “Azerbaijan lacks potential for taking new steps. That country fails to understand that this could lead to serious consequences. Nevertheless, it is evident from Azerbaijani media reports that society in Azerbaijan is seriously concerned over the situation on the border and does not share the tactics of the authorities in Baku”.

Referring to the Shant-2015 (Lightning -2015) command and staff exercises launched in Armenia, H. Melik-Shahnazaryan considered the drills an ‘extra stimulus’ to deter Azerbaijan.