ARMENIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST: "AZERBAIJAN IS A SERIOUS ECONOMIC, GEOPOLITICAL AND GEOPOLITICAL POWER IN THE REGION"
Today.Az
litics/48772.html
Nov 5 2008
Azerbaijan
"The trilateral meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Russia in Moscow is a logical continuation of the Russian policy, aimed
at establishment of its dominating position in the South Caucasus",
considers Ruben Akopyan, political scientist and head of the center
of political analysis.
The expert considers that the conflict in South Ossetia in August of
2008 showed the seriousness of Russia’s intention to defend its rights
in the region and the new stage of the Karabakh conflict settlement
will base on Russia’s interests.
"The declaration must be considered in the context of the whole
regional development of events, rather than a separate attempt of
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. The South Ossetian conflict
formed a new situation and this stage of the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict must be considered as a logical continuation of
this new stage", said he.
According to Akopyan, the main lesson of the South Ossetian conflict
is that Russia proved that it has national interests in the said region
and is ready to protect its rights by any means, including forced.
"Russia tries to fully embrace this region under its influence thus
preserving peace here. The new stage of developments in the Karabakh
problem settlement should be considered in this context. Russia will
come out from its interests in the resolution of the Karabakh problem",
said Ruben Akopyan.
The political scientist also considers that under Russia’s patronage
Azerbaijan has more advantages than Armenia in the resolution of the
Karabakh problem.
"Azerbaijan is a serious economic, geopolitical and geographical
power in the region. Such a strong factor as a presence of the
Azerbaijan-Turkey alliance should also be attributed here. Russia
also does not mind becoming the transit country for transportation
Azerbaijani energy sources to Europe or use its energy sources as
a consumer and having Azerbaijan among its friends, Russia will,
in fact, settle the issue of her hegemony in the region.
Therefore, today Russia tries to please Azerbaijan. But it is clear
that Russia should pay something for it. The issue of Karabakh is in
the basket of methods of "pleasing" Azerbaijan. Time will show how
Russia will use this component. Armenia has nothing to give Russia,
we have already given everything that we had. In the future, Armenia
may also have some advantages.
Thus, at the current stage the process of the Karabakh conflict
resolution is in favor of the Azerbaijani-Turkish alliance, which
is obvious. It has always been like that: if interests of Russia
and Turkey coincide in something, Armenia always loses", said the
political scientist.