Swedish Member of Parliament Erik Hellsborn has warned that the narrative of so-called “Western Azerbaijan” targeting Armenia could serve as a pretense for war. Hellsborn noted that Baku has been advancing its so-called “Western Azerbaijan” narrative to try and justify its aspirations toward sovereign Armenian territories. In an interview with Armenpress, Hellsborn addressed Baku’s rhetoric surrounding the so-called Western Azerbaijan community, its discontent with Armenia’s arms acquisitions, and the likelihood of an escalation in the region.
“The ‘Western Azerbaijan’ rhetoric is troublesome. Even if [President of Azerbaijan] Aliyev today claims that he is only talking about displaced peoples’ right to return, it sounded drastically different not long ago. The idea that Armenia or parts of Armenia is a ‘Western Azerbaijan’ could be used as a pretense for war in the future,” said Hellsborn.
On Azerbaijan’s complaints about Armenia’s arms acquisitions, Hellsborn emphasized that building up one’s defensive capabilities is not an act of aggression and that strong defense is a deterrent.
“This argument from Baku is nothing new, and it makes no more sense today than 3 or 5 years ago. Building up one’s defensive capabilities is not in itself an act of aggression. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Sweden and many other NATO countries responded with increased military budgets. This doesn’t mean that we plan to attack Russia or its allies. A strong defense is a deterrent, which can prevent wars from ever getting started. A stronger Armenian defense with more modern equipment is good for peace, not the other way around,” said Hellsborn.
Referring to Armenian PM Pashinyan’s statement that “if Azerbaijan doesn’t have intentions to attack Armenia, the likelihood of escalation in the region is zero,” Hellsborn expressed hope for successful negotiations that could lead to lasting peace. He said, “The idea of an Armenian invasion of Azerbaijan is of course altogether absurd. An Azerbaijani invasion of Armenian territory, on the other hand, is not. Hopefully, the negotiations will be successful, and there will be a long-lasting peace. But given Azerbaijan’s history, no one can blame Armenia for being cautious.”
Hellsborn’s remarks underline the growing concerns over Azerbaijan’s actions and rhetoric, highlighting the importance of a strong Armenian defense and cautious diplomacy in ensuring regional stability.
