"The joint exercises place Baku in the position of a potential mediator in regional security issues, such as the Afghanistan situation. On the other hand, some of the major Western players are concerned by this perceived growing defense alliance due to the presence of Islamist elements in Pakistan and Turkey. These alliances have been used by propagandists to try to discredit Azerbaijan's secular democracy and to portray it as a radicalized state," she said.
As part of the international exercises "Three Brothers-2021", special forces of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan conducted fire training exercises.
Tsukerman stressed it is important to balance out such exercises with similar alliances with Western allies and to continue to distinguish Baku's domestic and foreign policies from those of its allies in an effective way that can easily counter these optics.
Sabina Hasanova
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