The intensification of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia may boomerang and Georgia, which usually tries to maintain friendly relations with both of its warring neighbors.
About a week after bloody clashes with Armenia, Azerbaijan has looked to Georgia, alleging that she was allegedly allowed to take through the territory of Armenia designed weapons. This weapon — according to the report, rockets, mortar ammunition and trucks allegedly were then used for bombardment of Tovuz district of Azerbaijan.
Baku refrained from making direct accusations, and instead expressed their dissatisfaction with Georgia’s government-controlled media, as he often does, as a prelude to the official statement, or instead of it. Haqqin.az — news site associated with the Azerbaijani security forces, wrote that the alleged supply of weapons was stabbed in the back by Georgia. These two countries generally consider each other strategic partners in the economic and political spheres.
“As allowed Georgia through its territory to deliver the ammunition and military equipment, the purpose of which is for military confrontation with Azerbaijan is not a subject?” — asks the rhetorical question in the article Haqqin.az.
Anger Baku was drawn mainly to Serbia, to put the “Grad” Russian production. But he was also unhappy with Russia for the supply of trucks, which are installed on rockets, and Georgia for that missed all of this through its territory.
“Did the official Tbilisi has not imposed a few years ago the ban on transit through its territory of military cargo for Armenia? From what motives this time an exception was made for Serbia?” the article reads in Haqqin.az.
On 20 July the Azerbaijani foreign Ministry summoned the diplomatic representative of Serbia, demanding an explanation, but have not yet taken any formal diplomatic steps against Georgia or Russia. But if the allegations are confirmed, more from the deterioration of relations with Baku may lose Georgia, as Azerbaijan is one of its key investors and energy suppliers.
In this regard, the accusations have caused political debate in Georgia. In particular, the opposition parties demanded that the government explain.
“We know that Russia’s policy of destabilizing the region based in part on the supply of arms to both Armenia and Azerbaijan, — said Salome Samadashvili from the Unified national movement, a major opposition party. — As for Georgia, we have undertaken an international obligation not to allow to carry weapons [in other countries] in its territory”.
Gia Volsky, the Deputy speaker of Parliament and one of the most senior members of the ruling party “Georgian dream”, called the message on the supply of arms just gossip. “Unfortunately some media in Azerbaijan and in Georgia — I picked up this hearing,” he said.
Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of provoking the latest round of the conflict which became the bloodiest since the “April war” in 2016.
