Russia’s Foreign Ministry “highly appreciates” Baku’s false “peace” platform
One interesting fact ousted from the attention of Armenia’s press. Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova’s briefing was held on February 3 during which she talked about the NK issue, this section was covered by our newsfeed. But she was also asked a question about the “peace platform between Armenia and Azerbaijan” launched in December in Baku. It can be assumed that the question was asked by an Azerbaijani journalist. As you know, Baku gas been long “advertising” the activities of this platform by introducing it as a “peace-loving” Azerbaijan’s initiative. Here, the journalist asked, “how Russia’s Foreign Ministry treats public diplomacy and whether it will promote the settlement of Karabakh conflict.”
The shorthand published on Russian Foreign Ministry’s official website shows official Moscow’s positions about the false platform created by “peace-loving” Aliyev. Zakharova literally said the following: “As for the establishment of a “peace platform between Armenia and Azerbaijan”, it should be answered in general. Such “platforms” and initiatives exist. We highly appreciate the public diplomacy which is aimed at the settlement of the conflicts. Its main mission is to embed the conscious of peaceful settlement thru concessions among public circles of countries in a conflict that there is no alternative to it. We proceed from the fact that any initiative should primarily be focused on this. We applaud any political initiative that puts this issue as a challenge.”
Firstly, let’s start with the fact that it was not a “civil initiative” at all. Azerbaijani authorities have come up with clear statements several times at different levels, which clearly show that the initiative is of the government as it enjoys the support of the government unlike the Azerbaijani representatives of public diplomacy in the past who appeared in the jail and then abandoned Azerbaijan.
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About one month ago, we addressed the fact that Russia’s support for this platform is not only strange but also natural. Surely, not accidentally and not naively, Aliyev’s “peace platform between Armenia and Azerbaijan” was supported by such Russian figures as the curator of “Griboedov” club Dmitry Kiselyov, a member of the RF Federal Council’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Igor Morozov.
Kiselyov called the creation of this platform a “very good idea” and had noted that he “supports it with all his heart and soul.” Kiselyov has expressed a confidence that Azerbaijanis and Armenians should have passed to this solution of the problem a long time ago, “Any initiative for reconciliation should be applauded. I feel very sorry to see how the once-friendly nations are in the war against each other. I not only support but also applaud the creation of this platform, and on my part, I am ready to render any assistance. I think that those who wish peace should support the civil society initiatives aimed at reconciliation of Armenians and Azerbaijanis.”
A member of RF Federal Council’s Committee on foreign affairs, Igor Morozov, called the platform “an excellent idea.” He also mentioned how good it is that the civil society has resorted to such a move, and “if the two people sit around the table of negotiation and dialogue, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be settled more quickly.” The point that these people would not come up with such statements without the Kremlin’s “go ahead” was clear still at that time. Now, we can state that based on Zakharova’s comments, Russia is already officially supporting Aliyev’s false “peace platform between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
When a question is asked to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Zakharova about the April war, they never point out Azerbaijan as a side which unleashed the war in April. When asking about the deconstructive posture of Baku to the mediator’s idea of introducing investigation mechanisms which Azerbaijan does not agree in any way, Lavrov and Zakharova again do not condemn Aliyev’s conduct. But when a question is asked about Aliyev’s false “peace” platform which “attracts” such Armenians which are unknown to the Armenia community, the official Moscow highly appreciates and welcomes the establishment of such “platform” by considering it a civil initiative “embedding the conscious of peaceful settlement thru concessions.”
