Alexander Rahr: Russia is interested in peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

 

The prominent German political analyst Alexander Rahr shared his
opinion on Russia’s relations with the Caucasian republics with
Vestnik Kavkaza’s European Department’s chief, Orkhan Satarov. The
following part of the interview is devoted to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and the EU attitude to the matter.

 - The United Nations Organization, established after the Second World
War, was intended to become a guarantor of international law. Nowadays
each side has its own view on the way international law should be
understood. Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia
insists on people’s right to self-determination and Azerbaijan on the
right to maintain territorial integrity. Don’t you think that the
Azerbaijani position is better founded?

- Now it seems so. However, the situation is changing. There is the
case of Kosovo, a country whose independence was recognized, even
though it was proclaimed unilaterally. At the same time, Kosovo was
not recognized by half of the world, as many still believe that the
right to maintain territorial integrity is paramount.

- Kosovo was not recognized by the UN, it was recognized only by
particular states…

- That’s right, but it was recognized by the world’s most influential
countries, such the USA and Western European countries. All that makes
the situation surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict more
complicated. In addition, the situation is becoming more and more
dangerous every year, because the parties are not ready for
compromise. Soon Azerbaijan will have no argument, as there will be no
Azerbaijani refugees to return to Nagorno-Karabakh.

- Don’t you think that such procrastination is favourable to Armenia?

- In such situations, procrastination is favourable to the party that
is interested in maintaining the status quo. That’s why Abkhazia,
South Ossetia, and Pridnestrovye are interested in such a delay to
peaceful resolutions of the conflicts. In 20 years time, Georgia’s
position will have no basis. There will be no Georgian refugees to
return to their homes.

- So further delay is favourable to Armenia?

- In fact I don’t think so. The reason is that Armenia, with its
policies, is becoming less and less popular in Europe. Armenia is not
ready for compromise, it seems that it is not interested in a peaceful
solution to the conflict, the country remains isolated and all that
makes it very annoying.

- Mister Rahr, Russian experts believe that Russia is interested in
maintaining the status quo as well, since the country needs this
conflict to have influence on both sides. What do you think about such
an opinion?

- it’s true that for some time Russia tried to maintain the
Commonwealth of Independent States and even launch some integration
projectS. During this period, the conflict between Azerbaijan and
Armenia was indeed in favour of Russia. However, nowadays the
situation has changed. These methods are no longer effective.

Interview by Orkhan Satarov