Military expert Karen Vrtanesyan considers the attempt of the subversive act carried out by Azerbaijan in the line of contact a few days ago a blackmail both to the mediators and the Armenian side. “Azerbaijan’s main demand on withdrawal of Armenian troops from Artsakh is not discussed at all, instead, now Azerbaijan is under the actual pressure in terms of introducing investigation mechanisms, which is not good for Azerbaijan as they seem do not get what they want. The mediators are repeating the arguments of the Armenian side and once again are trying to take some stabilization moves. Azerbaijan’s actions are a form of actual blackmail,” – said Mr. Vrtanesyan to Aravot.am.
As to what continuation will Azerbaijan’s operations obtain, Karen Vrtanesyan found it difficult to say, “Whether this can be viewed as an intention, it is too early to say anything.” To our question as to why a day before the OSCE Minsk Group US Co-Chair James Warlick announced that there will be no agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh without the return of occupied territories to Azerbaijan, Mr. Vrtanesyan replied, “It has been said long ago that the Armenian troops should be withdrawn from the so-called regions, I am saying, the so-called regions because these regions are no longer available, even in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), about which they are talking about, Azerbaijan has been dissolved long time ago, still in 1991. Such conversations always existed, simply, now, Azerbaijanis are strongly disappointed that this theme is not being discussed, and the conversation is moved to stabilization, refraining from possible aggravations. They are afraid of it because by the level of words, it may seem that nothing is talked but the fact is that in the last six months, it is discussed what the Armenian side is saying rather than what Azerbaijan is trying to bring to the negotiation table.”
Arpine SIMONYAN
