ArmInfo. If Russia does not deal with the problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan, the West will inevitably deal with this. Deputy Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Skakov expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"I believe that, taking into account the current relations of Moscow with Washington or Brussels, Moscow is, let's say, not too interested in this. This is where the need to intensify our diplomacy in the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations comes from. For example, in the context of the visit of its head Sergey Lavrov to Baku, who discussed the process of unblocking transport communications there," he said. According to Skakov, against the background of the current acute phase of geopolitical competition with the US and the EU, not only in the South Caucasus, but also in all other regions, given the new challenges and the growth of Western influence in the Karabakh conflict zone, stimulating the dialogue between Yerevan and Baku is a priority for Moscow, of course, both in a bilateral format and with its own participation.
At the same time, Skakov conditioned the growth of mutual demands of the parties to the conflict by the presence of a mediator in the person of the EU, with whom, quite possibly, it would be more profitable for them to deal with today. This regard, everyone will try to benefit from the current situation. This will require Moscow to make additional efforts to balance the expectations and appetites of the parties, including in order to maintain the existing influence on them.
"We see that it is precisely additional efforts in solving emerging problems that are expected in Yerevan and Baku from Moscow. Baku, in particular, is rushing Moscow to reach a peace agreement and communication to Nakhichevan. This is accompanied by an increase in the degree of Azerbaijani rhetoric. Hence, the high degree of Moscow's position, both diplomatically and militarily arises in Nagorno- Karabakh," summed up the orientalist.
