ALIYEV IS NOT SAAKASHVILI: SKAKOV

news.am
Nov 27 2009
Armenia

Ilham Aliyev’s warlike statements on resumption of hostilities in
Karabakh conflict zone are groundless and nothing else but a political
game, Head of CIS Department of the Russian Institute of Strategic
Research Alexander Skakov said in an interview with NEWS.am.

According to him, Baku’s recent military threats are induced by
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation and intended for internal public.

"Thereby Baku tries to link Karabakh conflict with Armenian-Turkish
relations and affect somehow Ankara, as attempts of relations’
normalization with Yerevan incur displeasure in Azerbaijan. However,
this pressure will not come to head as Ankara has its own priority
interests", the expert reckons.

Skakov reassured, that Azerbaijan will not open hostilities especially
after the August 2008 war in Georgia. "Georgian experience showed
that military operations in South Caucasus are doomed to failure, as
International organizations will not permit escalation of situation in
the region. Even if we assume in theory, that Azerbaijan unleashed a
war, it will last several days and end under the pressure of CSTO, UN,
European structures and Russia. I would restate that Azerbaijan will
not resume hostilities, as Aliyev would not run such an adventure,
if for no other reason than he is not Saakashvili," Skakov concluded.