Radar Armenia‘s interlocutor is Shahan Gantaharyan, an international scholar.
– Turkish President Recep Erdogan recently met China’s newly appointed Foreign Minister, Wang Yin. At this stage, what impact can Turkish-Chinese relations have on the region?
– The current dynamics of Turkey-China relations are optional in forming a new axis in the region. Ankara is trying to diversify its foreign policy vectors, and this meeting can be considered in that context. Beijing is proceeding with cautious, balanced, and slow steps. China is an economic pole, but it is too early to say it is a military-political pole. China has an ethnic Turkish population, and in that sense, it is much more cautious in its relations with Ankara.
– In this context, the visit of the Prime Minister of Georgia to China was also prominent. To what extent do the West and Russia worry about China’s relations with the region’s countries, and what can this lead to?
– The West will do everything to stop the Russia-China-Iran axis. All satellite countries are aware of this approach and take their steps accordingly. They try to show their independence but stay within the red lines. This behavior will continue. And China will try to register advantages with the same slowness. But the extraordinary axis, or the new pole centricity, must still be visible.
– EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, responded to the situation surrounding the transportation of goods through the Lacin road and noted that Azerbaijan must guarantee free movement along the Lacin corridor. In your opinion, will the international community’s reaction have consequences, and will Azerbaijan go ahead with the passage of humanitarian goods through the Lachin Corridor?
– Josep Borel’s statement found international resonance. Baku is unhappy; the whole tactic of sending humanitarian aid through Aghdam has met with a pan-European barrier or inhibition. But international pressure to break the blockade will still be applied. The positive thing is that Stepanakert fully ensures the international legal norms work with the formula “recognition for the sake of salvation.” Artsakh besieged and held hostage, has international jurisdiction to demand legalization and legitimize its status outside Azerbaijan.
– The Azerbaijani side declared that “the game is over,” and they considered the transfer of humanitarian goods from Armenia unacceptable. What issue is solved by this step when Azerbaijan sharply rejects it?
– Azerbaijan appears separately in front of the international community. With this step, the global family has a task to intervene and prevent the state’s policy of ethnic cleansing. The functions of international security guarantees and instruments are further substantiated. If our diplomacy works correctly, Baku may end up in self-isolation on this issue. The blockade of Artsakh can be transformed into the isolation of that position in Azerbaijan.
– Will the Russian side be able to transfer the humanitarian aid sent from Armenia to Artsakh? Otherwise, what developments will we witness?
– You made a critical observation, an integral part of the geopolitical assurance and mediation loop. The effectiveness of the mission of the Russian peacekeepers in this matter is theoretical. The collective West can give new impetus to involving the international neutral instrument if the Russian side fails to provide a humanitarian breakthrough in the direction of the besieged Artsakh. And it will be interpreted as a new initiative to change the game rules in the region.
