The fact that the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents failed to sign new basic principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement
during their meeting in Kazan on June 24 was interpreted by many experts as a sign of Russia losing patience and interest in the whole process. It is true that the conflict, dating back to 1988, has given rise to so many differences between the two parties’ positions that it’s extremely hard to reach any conclusive agreement.
Despite all the criticism and scepticism, Russia isn’t abandoning its main goal: to make reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan possible. After the Kazan meeting, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, personally delivered Russia’s new proposals to Baku and Yerevan. Moscow officials do not deem the Kazan meeting a failure; they call it yet another step in the peace process. Russian diplomats are sure that they will manage to bring both sides to agree on certain basic principles.
Only two weeks after the trilateral talks in Kazan, Moscow launched another round of negotiations at the level of the three countries’ foreign ministers. The essence of the Kremlin’s new proposals hasn’t yet been revealed, but it is certain that the new wave of diplomatic activities may end in another trilateral meeting at the highest level in August-September already, and hopefully this time Dmitry Medvedev will persuade his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts to sign a new document based on the Madrid principles.
Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to voice their opinions on new Russian proposals at the end of June, when the Minsk OSCE Group
representatives are scheduled to visit the region.
Eugenie Krishtalev, exclusively to VK
