Russia is the guarantor of peace in Nagorno-Karabakh

By Vestnik Kavkaza

Tomorrow a meeting between the Defense Ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia takes place in Nakhichevan. It is planned that Zakir Hasanov, Ismet Yilmaz and Irakly Alasania will talk privately within the trilateral format, Trend reports. The meeting will take place in the context of continuing tension over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Last weekend the Armed Forces of Armenia attacked positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, according to the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan. The attack was stopped by return fire.

Yesterday the US ambassador to the OSCE, Harry Robinson, stated in Vienna that the United States condemned violence on the ceasefire line in Nagorno-Karabakh, as many people suffered. The American diplomat rejected a military settlement of the conflict and said that the USA welcomed the Sochi meeting of the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, which reduced tension in the growing confrontation.

A member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, the Director of Research of the Problems of Democracy, PhD in Political Science, Maxim Grigoriev, told Vestnik Kavkaza: “In view of what is happening now in Ukraine, of course, many experts suspected that the aggravation of the situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, was perhaps another attempt to create another hotbed of tension around Russia. As you know, Russia is the guarantor of security in this region of the world, and, of course, some experts believe that this is an attempt to divert Russia's attention and complicate the situation around Russia.”

“In my opinion, it is not very possible,” Grogoriev believes. “Both countries, in general, understand that clashes will not lead to anything good for either country, particularly military clashes. In any case, they need to understand that Russia, as a guarantor of peace in the region, has enough real leverage in order to ensure peace, including economic and even military instruments.”

“The meeting, which was held with the participation of Vladimir Putin and the leadership of Azerbaijan and Armenia, has demonstrated that Russia is believed to be such a guarantor and a mediator. In fact, this meeting results in a substantial mitigation of the consequences of the latest events for the moment,” Grigoriev thinks.