Interview with journalist Saadat Kadyrova, a member of the expert council of the Russian Duma's nationalities committee.
Q: At the end of January, President Medvedev is holding another summit of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss the Karabakh conflict. How likely is a breakthrough at this meeting?
A: I don't think any serious breakthroughs are expected. Moreover, I am convinced that the meeting participants also understand this.
Q: How can you explain the active mediation of Medvedev, who is leaving his presidential post?
A: You know, I have been thinking about it and I doubt that he is simply doing it out of the goodness of his heart. This is most likely a strategy. We do not know what position Medvedev is going to have - he is unlikely to be prime minister. The political crisis that started with the implications at the United Russia congress and ended in protests following the elections caused quite a stir. So I think this is all connected with Medvedev’s future political role.
Q: Do you think Medvedev and Putin have different approaches to the problems of the South Caucasus?
A: In general, they don’t, but now they do. I mean that now and after the elections Putin will have no time for the Karabakh conflict, he will have to tackle domestic policy.
Q: There have been recent reports in the media that Armenian diaspora organizations in Russia have started work on a law to criminalize denial of the "Armenian genocide" in the Russian State Duma, just as they did in the French parliament. A signature collection campaign has already started in Sochi. Is it possible that Russian lawmakers will follow the example of their French counterparts?
A: I do not think that this is possible in Russia, at least in the foreseeable future. As for France, the political situation is different there. Sarkozy, just like Medvedev and Putin, is not too seriously concerned with the Armenian issue, it is just about his election campaign where the Armenian diaspora work well. There is no such orientation for the diaspora in Russia, but I am completely against underestimating the situation. It is impossible today, but it might become reality tomorrow, and we, in Russia, have nothing to confront them with.
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