Elkhan Alasgarov: "Hosting Karabakh occupants in US Congress was shot at Russia"

This week, the so-called president of the separatist "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" Bako Sahakyan was received in Washington. The visit was organized by the Armenian Diaspora of the United States. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed a note of protest to the United States due to the situation (America's double standard on Nagorno-Karabakh). The head of the expert council of Baku Network, Elkhan Alasgarov, speaking with the  correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, commented on Sahakyan's visit to the United States.

- What is the meaning of the visit of the illegal structure's illegal leader to the US?

- Authorization of a visit by the head of the separatist "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" to the United States, is associated with pressure on Azerbaijan. But, in my opinion, this is related not so much to Azerbaijan, but to the activities carried out by Western countries towards Russia. That is, it became an element of pressure on Russia, part of a global plan implemented to influence Russia's policy, to infringe Russia's interests in the Caucasus. This is an attempt to make the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict a factor that irritates Russia, which has been under the pressure of international sanctions, recently also related to the alleged murder of former Soviet or English spies in the UK. At the same time, Sahakyan's visit to the US has become a kind of warning to Azerbaijan, which has good relations with Russia. This is an attempt to complicate the situation and increase tension in the Caucasus as a whole.

- The visit was quite unexpected. What prompted Washington to take this step?

- This is an issue of welcoming in Washington a representative of a puppet regime, which is not recognized by the world community, including Armenia, operating in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in violation of all international norms. This issue, I think, is also being considered by certain circles of the United States within the framework of a global confrontation with Russia. Of course it aims at causing an escalation of tension, complicating Russia's relations with the countries of the South Caucasus, strengthening pro-Western tendencies in Armenia, and creating a possible new hotbed of the conflict. I think that in the context of those events that are taking place around Russia, the sanctions, the espionage scandal and a series of other actions being carried out by the United States, it was part of this global plan.

- Does the US have its own interests in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in your opinion?

- Their interests are focused exerting pressure on Russia in all directions. This direction has so far been the responsibility of the OSCE Minsk Group, but the United States and its representatives made several controversial statements. One of them concerned the fact that Armenia should withdraw troops from the occupied territories. Another statement pointed to the need to recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but at the same time to the necessity of recognizing Armenian people's right to self-determination. And, finally, the invitation of Bako Sahakyan, who is a citizen of Azerbaijan, but travels to Washington with the passport of an Armenian citizen, which is a violation of the US migration laws. The organization of this visit was a planned action, because it was carried out with the knowledge of the authorities.