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Press Review


“Zhoghovurd” criticizes the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for not reacting to last week’s deadly fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. The paper believes that the CSTO should have spoken out because the ceasefire violations took place not only around Karabakh but also on Armenia’s internationally recognized border with Azerbaijan. Despite this stance, it says, the Armenian authorities remain committed to membership in the ex-Soviet defense pact.

“Zhamanak” accuses Russia of increasing the risk of a renewed Armenian-Azerbaijani war with large-scale arms deliveries to Azerbaijan. The paper wonders if the Armenian government has any contingency plans to prevent or, if that is not possible, win such a war. It says that these questions require an in-depth discussion among government and military officials, policymakers, opposition and pro-government politicians and pundits. “That process must be an important element of Armenia’s combat readiness because modern-day wars have no clearly defined boundaries in terms of time, participation and representation,” it says. “It’s not just soldiers that would have to ensure our victory in a war. The society needs to lay the groundwork for the soldiers’ successes.”

“Hraparak” says that widespread injustice and government corruption in Armenia are a serious hurdle to national unity in times of war. “Would all people be equal in case of a war?” the paper says. “In theory, yes. In practice, not necessarily.” It argues that senior government officials and their families, relatives and cronies would not endure as much hardship as ordinary Armenians would. “We all know that they are at the top and we at the bottom,” it says in an editorial.

“Aravot” reports on and dismisses recent days’ rumors that the Armenian authorities will call a general mobilization in response to the latest upsurge in fighting in Karabakh. “That would not make sense,” writes the paper. “The current soldiers are fully accomplishing their tasks … A full-scale war will not break out for many reasons. First of all, because Azerbaijan realizes what a sad future it would have in that case.”

(Tigran Avetisian)

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