There is an Undeniable Risk of War: Azerbaijan Continues to Increase Defense Budget, Says Laurence Broers

There is a significant risk that the currently dynamic but very fragile process could turn into violence, said Dr. Laurence Broers, director of the Caucasus Program at Conciliation Resources, during a broadcast on 'Liberty' when asked whether he sees a danger of a new war.

In the context of this particular conflict, force has always been viewed as a means to achieve political objectives, noted Broers.

Emphasizing that Azerbaijan continues to increase its defense budget and is investing in new armaments, the expert stressed that the risk of violence is evident.

"Since May 2021, we have seen a coercive strategy employed by Azerbaijan, exerting pressure on Armenia to agree to its terms. But this is not new. Force has always been employed to try to extract consent from the opposing side. Until 2020, the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and their potential return were used as a means to extract concessions from Azerbaijan. Therefore, I believe, unfortunately, that in the context of this particular conflict, force has always been seen as a means to achieve political goals. And, unfortunately, globally, this is the direction in which world politics is heading. Thus, I believe there is a significant risk that this currently quite dynamic but very fragile process may also turn into violence: the risk is undoubtedly there," said the director of the Caucasus Program at Conciliation Resources.