Interview with Azerbaijan’s Lider TV expert, political scientist Tofik Abbasov.
Q: Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov stated with regret that the Almaty meeting was ineffective and Armenia rejected to make the 3+2 statement welcomed by Baku. What can you say about these actions of official Yerevan?
A: They were expected, predictable and resulting from the logic of the conduct of official Yerevan which is imitating the negotiation process. The statements, voiced by the Armenian side before the meeting in Almaty, proved its unpreparedness for a constructive dialogue and launching the real settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. In the result, we have again witnessed official Yerevan’s attempts to frustrate the negotiation process for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict within the framework of the Madrid principles accepted by Azerbaijan but still uncoordinated with Armenia.
Q: We all remember that on the day of signing the Turkish-Armenian protocols in Zurich, the stubbornness of the Armenian side was broken by the only note from Russian FM Sergey Lavrov saying: “Edward, sign the protocols without any prerequisites”. What prevents the Minsk Group co-chairing states to put the same pressure on Armenia now?
A: Your example shows that greatest responsibility for the unsettled Karabakh conflict lie with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs that are dealing with its settlement. They do not put any due pressure on the aggressor country that is cynically ignoring norms of international law. All of the three countries that are the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are trying to use the unsettled Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh for preservation of levers of pressure on both conflict parties. It is clear that the country which had a decisive influence in the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh will be dominating in the South Caucasus. But such actions of one of the OSCE MG co-chairs are possible only at the consent of the two other co-chairs of this organization. They seem not to have reached such an accord.
Q: What should official Baku do in the established conditions?
A: Azerbaijan must hold successful policy on its economic, political, diplomatic, geopolitical and military consolidation and prepare to restore its territorial integrity by any means including war.
Q: In this case, how do you explain the fact that the statement of the representatives of the foreign ministries of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing states made in Almaty criticizes the use of force in the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh?
A: This statement proves the understanding by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs that there is a threat of resumption of hostilities which results from Armenia’s destructive policy in the negotiation process, its unwillingness to observe norms of international law. In addition, it proves their understanding that the results of this war may be disastrous for Armenia. This is not surprising. Armenia is a country whose all affairs are settled out of its bounds which proves that de-facto Armenia is not independent which may affect the results of the new Karabakh war in case it starts.
Akper Hasanov
News.Az
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