Russian border guards have been withdrawn from all border crossing points on the Armenia-Turkey border. Now, only the Border Troops of Armenia's National Security Service operate there.
What changes could the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from the border bring to the region, specifically to Armenia-Azerbaijan and Armenia-Turkey relations?
Regarding the issue, political analyst Oktay Gasimov told Medianews.az that the withdrawal of Russian border guards from the Turkey-Armenia border is a positive event: “When these forces were deployed on the Armenia-Turkey border 35 years ago, the justification was that Armenia and Azerbaijan were in a state of war and that there could allegedly be a threat to Armenia’s security from Turkey. On this basis, Russia established a military base in Armenia and ensured that the borders were guarded by Russian border guards.”
The political analyst noted that the situation has now changed: “The war between Armenia and Azerbaijan has ended, the peace process is ongoing, and the text of the peace agreement has been agreed upon. Steps are also being taken to normalize relations with Turkey. Over the past year and a half, Armenia has withdrawn Russian border guards from Zvartnots International Airport, the Iranian border, and now from the Turkish border. Armenian border guards are now serving instead of them.”
According to O. Gasimov, this step is important in demonstrating that Armenia is an independent state: “At the same time, the Russian factor should be regarded as one of the main elements obstructing the country’s pursuit of independent foreign policy. The reduction of Russian influence in Armenia could positively affect the normalization of relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan. From this perspective, this step should be assessed positively.”
Naile Gasimova,
Medianews.az