U.S. WANTS NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE SOLVED ONLY THROUGH ITS EFFORTS: RUSSIAN EXPERT
T. Teymur
Today
882.html
Dec 2 2009
Azerbaijan
Russia-based Political Technologies Center Vice President Sergei
Mikheyev says the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Turkey-Armenia borders
will certainly be discussed during Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s visit to the United States.
"Most likely, the Karabakh conflict will be discussed behind closed
doors. There will be no public statements on this issue at all,
or they will be of streamlined nature. The parties will voice their
"concern" and express hopes for "settlement of the conflict as soon
as possible" as usual," the expert said.
"There are quite objective reasons – the U.S. and Turkey are not
able to bilaterally resolve the issue. At most, they may offer some
mediation services. Mediation capacity of the United States and Turkey
in this matter is also limited," he said.
"With regard to opening of Turkish-Armenian border, the parties can
be more frank in this matter because this process was possible due to
U.S. influence on Turkey. The United States understands it will be
impossible to tear Armenia from Russia without removing the country
from the isolation. Forcing Russia out of the Caucasus remains one
of the most pressing problems for the Americans whatever they speak
about the "reset."
Mikheyev also does not exclude option of U.S pressure on Armenia to
liberate the occupied Azerbaijani lands.
"There pressure is likely to happen. But this pressure is unlikely
to be open. U.S. wants Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be solved only
through its efforts. But all too obvious pressure on Armenia will
cause a strong wave of anti-American sentiment in Armenia and could
disrupt plans for the rapprochement of U.S. and Armenian positions
on the geopolitical positioning," he said.
"Actually, anyone who would favor in Armenia refusing to support the
Nagorno-Karabakh, let him be American, Russian or Turkish, risks to
ruin his public reputation in this country," Mikheyev said.