RUSSIA ACCELERATES THE PROCESS OF DRIVING THE USA OFF NOT ONLY THE KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS BUT FROM THE REGION IN GENERAL, AN ARMENIAN POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

ArmInfo
2008-11-03 15:39:00

ArmInfo. From geopolitical and strategic viewpoints Russia
demonstrated a "sole" approach, having actually ignored Washington
and its interests in this issue. Moreover, henceforth Moscow will
in every possible way accelerate the process of driving the USA off
not only the Karabakh peace process, but from the region in general,
Director of the Institute for Civil Society and Regional Development
Aghavni Karakhanyan told ArmInfo correspondent.

"The formal-political component of the signed Declaration is that
maintaining and using the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia
has factually assumed a mission to unilaterally address the issue
of the Karabakh conflict settlement", she noted. OSCE MG co-chairs’
participation is quite formal", she added.

Touching upon the political settlement of the problem, Karakhanyan
pointed out that it entirely belongs to Moscow. It is also obvious
that having activated its steps in the Karabakh peace process, Russia
unequivocally showed that it is going "to share" its initiative,
moreover, the initiative’s political results and dividends with
nobody. First and foremost, the matter certainly concerns the USA.

"The pre-election situation in the USA and the financial crisis turned
out to be accelerators of Russia’s activation in the South Caucasus,
particularly, in settlement of conflicts. It would be political short-
sightedness not to take advantage of this situation", Karakhanyan
said in conclusion.

On November 2 the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed
a Declaration on the Karabakh conflict settlement. According to the
Declaration, Azeri and Armenian presidents have agreed to continue
the work at coordination of political settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, including further high-level contacts, and instructed the
foreign ministers to activate further steps in the peace process
jointly with OSCE MG co-chairs.