Military experts rule out connection between exercises in Baku and Shusha Declaration

The three-day joint exercises of the Azerbaijani and Turkish military personnel were planned long before the signing of the Shusha Declaration and the agreement on mutual military assistance between the two countries, Azerbaijani analysts note. The more frequent exercises of the military personnel of the two countries contribute to the transition of the Azerbaijani army to NATO standards, the analysts explain.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in the period from June 28 to 30, the “Mustafa Kemal Ataturk-2021” military exercises are being held in Baku with the participation of 600 Turkish and Azerbaijani soldiers and officers.

The specific feature of the exercises is that the Azerbaijani military personnel do not only learn from their Turkish colleagues, but also share their experience of the 44-day Karabakh war, reports Azad Isazade, a former expert of the information-analytical department of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD).

According to Shair Ramaldanov, the former commander of the Azerbaijani army corps, some elements of NATO standards have already been introduced in the Azerbaijani army: for example, when drawing up military maps, officers use symbols according to the NATO standards.

The introduction of the NATO standards in the Azerbaijani troops “is even being delayed,” suggests Telman Abilov, the head of the NGO “Military Lawyers”. According to him, there is no alternative to the standards of the Turkish armed forces, since the Turkish army is considered one of the strongest in the world.

Meanwhile, according to Telman Abilov, Russia will oppose such a development of events. However, Baku and Ankara can resolve the problem, even if Moscow objects, the head of the NGO “Military Lawyers” believes.