Talking about the role of the Russian Federation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement in the interview given to Viktor Loshak, the editor-in-chief of Ogoniok, a Russian magazine, which was published by Kommersant and Ogoniok, S. Sargsyan, the President of the Republic of Armenia, stated: “All those who deal with this conflict in Moscow, Washington, and Paris – these are the capitals of the Minks Group co-chair countries – know quite well who is to blame for not finding a solution so far.”
Davit Jamalyan, a military expert, said about this statement during a conversation with www.aravot.am that the president put forward the objective reality and went into detail: “Really, the Artsakh conflict is not settled, since the Azeri position is extreme, aggressive. This is a fact. It is also a fact that the mediating country’s geostrategic leadership understands this quite well. The president just called things by their proper names. Perhaps, one needs more convincing leverage over the Azeri side, in order that they respect elementary agreements, which have been reached. For example, withdrawing the snipers from the front line etc.”
According to Mr. Jamalyan, the question is why that leverage is not employed. According to the expert, the question is clear. “How can we make it respect the obligations undertaken by itself? If the Azeri side doesn’t withdraw the snipers from the front line voluntarily, they should be neutralized and pulled back. Or who will make the Azeri side follow the agreement? The Artsakh conflict can have only one outcome; eventually, Artsakh will become either a state or a part of the Republic of Armenia. Sooner or later the Azeri side, I should say the Transcaucasian Turks, will have to reconcile themselves to that fact.”
According to D. Jamalyan, S. Sargsyan’s statement has diplomatic overtones. The expert explains: “Yes, everyone knows who is to blame. Yes, the conflict is not being settled, since the Azeri side doesn’t want to reconcile itself to the existing situation; it lives with nostalgia for the 86km² Azeri state. Therefore, taking a principled attitude, we should make our mediating countries, our partners be more principled.”
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D. Jamalyan sees progress in this field and notes: “We have prevented war, strengthened the army and the foundations of the Artsakh statehood. We should consider the fact that we live in peace as one of the primary achievements of our president.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
