STEPAN GRIGORIAN: TODAY THERE IS NO PRECONDITION FOR QUICK SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH PROBLEM

Noyan Tapan

Jan 20, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. According to political scientist
Stepan Grigorian, today there is no precondition for a quick settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh problem. As he stated at the January 20
press conference, several factors impede problem’s settlement: Azeri
authorities’ bellicose position and unwillingness to make concessions,
lack of dialogue between Armenian and Azeri societies, Russian-American
relations becoming strained day by day, etc.

S. Grigorian stressed that in spite of Moscow Declaration’s respective
point on solving the problem only in a peaceful, political way,
Azerbaijan’s President has made bellicose statements at least twice in
the past two months. As to Russia and the U.S., these two countries,
according to the political scientist, have opposite approaches almost
in all issues, and their views over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
are unlikely to coincide.

According to S. Grigorian’s affirmation, artificially accelerating
the negotiations process today will be a dangerous step, as Azerbaijan
is not ready for concessions.

S. Grigorian predicted that under newly elected President Barack
Obama the U.S. policy to Armenia will not be changed essentially.