Experts negatively assess postponement of withdrawal of troops from Kelbajar District

Armenia delays the withdrawal of troops from the Kelbajar District, with a hope for a change in the situation, and if the expectations are followed by a change in the schedule for the withdrawal of troops from the Adam and Lachin District, the peace agreement will be in jeopardy, Azerbaijani military experts suggest.

There are no weighty arguments in favour of postponing a point from the joint statement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia on the liberation of the Kelbajar District, military expert Azad Isazade suggests. The period of five days for the withdrawal of the civilian population and the Armenian troops from Kelbajar was quite enough, he explains. According to Azad Isazade, the Armenian side deliberately delays the withdrawal of its troops.

When asked why Azerbaijan agreed to the postponement of the schedule for Kelbajar, Azad Isazade replied that Baku did not refuse, based on humane considerations. However, according to the military expert, next time, Baku may refuse to make any concessions.

If Armenia continues to evade the withdrawal of its troops, then Baku can use military force, the military expert suggests. Azerbaijan's position will be supported by Turkey if the Russian peacekeepers will connive at any Armenia's actions, Azad Isazade believes.

Telman Abilov, the head of the NGO "Military Lawyers", also sees no fair reasons why Armenia requested to postpone the withdrawal of its troops from Kelbajar.