NO CONNIVING AT NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT ESCALATING INTO ALL-OUT WAR – EXPERTS ON RUSSIAN FM’S STATEMENT
00:31 * 09.04.15
Russian FM Sergey Lavrov’s statement confirms the position that there
are no prerequisites or readiness for escalating the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict into hostilities, political scientist Alexander Margarov
told Tert.am.
Azerbaijan is following the logic it alone understands.
“And it is difficult to say whether this statement will have a
‘freezing’ impact because the scale of ceasefire violations by
Azerbaijan cannot be compared with the previous scale. However, due to
an adequate response by the Armenian sides, Azerbaijan comes to realize
that its potential is insufficient, and there are no alternatives to
negotiations,” Mr Margarov said.
Both the co-chairs and the conflicting parties accept this fact,
he added.
The tension since last summer shows Azerbaijan’s inconsistency and
conflict with the co-chairs’ statements and prove the fact that
Azerbaijan’s promises have no value, and the co-chairs’ latest
statement mentioned the fact.
The Russian FM’s statement is a signal for Azerbaijan that the
co-chairs, particularly Russia, are not going to connive at any
escalation.
“No one is going to connive at the conflict escalating into
hostilities,” Mr Margarov said.
In any case, at an official level Azerbaijan displays its commitment
to reach a negotiated settlement of the conflict.
“Basically, no one benefits from hostilities in any region,” Mr
Margarov said.
According to him, not only Russia, but also many other nations have
their interests.
Ruben Mehrabyan, expert for the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies (ACNIS), believes that the Russian FM’s statement
does not convey any new message, but confirmation of Russia’s position
on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: all-out war is not to Russia’s
benefit – at least at the current stage.
“Of course, a final settlement of the conflict is not of benefit to
Russia as well, and Russia’s unprecedented arms supplies to Azerbaijan
proves Russia needs the conflict to continue for the region to remain
closed to communication that is not in Russia’s interests,” he said.
The Russian FM’s statement will not contribute to improvement of
the situation because the border tension is, first of all, in the
interests of Russia and of the Aliyev regime.
“In any case, Russia has not made – nor will it make – any efforts
to put an end to border incidents. Russia needs permanent, but
controllable, tension. Russia is making the best use of the situation
because the Russian supplies to the Aliyev regime allow him to become
so impudent as to constantly escalate border tension, which is in
Russia’s interests,” Mr Mehrabyan said.