During the videoconference of the Sputnik international news agency, Vladimir Jabarov, First Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian Federation Council, touched upon the deployment of Russian border guards along a new section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and a possible response from Turkey in the form of construction of a military base in Azerbaijan.
When asked whether the deployment of Russian border guards along the new border with Azerbaijan would require an additional transfer of Russian units, Jabarov replied this is a purely military issue, a matter of defense and security.
“I think the experts will determine. In any case, this will be done with the consent of both countries, but the presence of Russian border guards and our base in Gyumri, even new bases, is a guarantor of stability in the region,” stressed Jabarov.
He also noted that Armenia is a special country for Russia, given the centenary friendship of the two states.
“It is clear that now it is very bitter to talk about relations between countries, but time heals, and I think that a century will pass, maybe even less, when it will be possible to make these countries live, if not in friendship, then at least in normal relations. Therefore, I think that the most important thing now is to ensure security so that there are no provocations. I am sure that the slightest provocation will be suppressed in the most decisive way by our peacekeepers and border guards, no matter where it comes from,” the official said.
The participants of the videoconference also spoke about the possibility of the construction of a military base by Turkey in Azerbaijan, as a response to the deployment of Russian border guards along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Vladimir Jabarov noted that the construction of a military base by Turkey, a NATO member, in Azerbaijan, a CIS country, a former fraternal republic, would be perceived by Russia extremely negatively.
“I don’t think Turkey is interested in aggravating relations with its great northern neighbor,” Jabarov stressed.
Referring to Erdogan’s statement on the Turkish military base, the official advised not to attach serious importance to this, since “what Erdogan says does not always correspond to reality.”
“I am not sure that Turkey is interested in getting an enemy in the face of Russia, which will oppose it. Therefore, let's hope that common sense will prevail, and Turkey will not go to the construction of a military base in Azerbaijan, because Azerbaijan is also not a foreign country for Russia, and we do not like having a NATO base there,” Jabarov concluded.
