Karabakh-Putin’s Reply to Erdogan’s ‘Thank You”
“OSCE MG Co-Chairs are ready to visit Ankara at any moment to meet Turkish officials and are waiting for a concrete invitation,” OSCE MG Co-Chair James Warlick (USA) said replying to the question on the visit to Ankara, Azerbaijani APA agency reported. “We have visited all the capitals of Minsk Group member countries to hold consultations around NK conflict peaceful settlement. We highly assess the possibility of exchanging opinions with Turkey’s officials, their support directed to reaching progress in NK negotiations and reduction of the risks for violence,” Warlick said. As it’s said—to the point. Turkey reaches its purpose, which it has pursued for years to become a Karabakh conflict mediator. Or a participant, the naming is not so essential.
What is crucial—to be involved in the negotiation process. Turkey reaches its purpose reconfirming prior to that the friendship with Armenia’s strategic ally Russia. It’s not even excluded that involvement in the process of Karabakh conflict settlement was the condition of restoration of Russia-Turkey relations. From the side of Turkey, naturally. And Russia, in its turn, has satisfied it. And not accidentally eccentric representative of Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova on the very heated days of Russia-Turkey flirtation stated, “Joining of Turkey, as well as any other state in NK conflict settlement depends on structural investment of that country in negotiations. If the state has something positive to add, I think, there can’t be any issues here.” Turkey isn’t “any state,” Turkey is the cognate of one of the parties to the conflict—Azerbaijan (this is the formulation of the authorities of Turkey and Azerbaijan). Thus, by any format, under any name Turkey’s engagement with negotiations means essential, principal strengthening of Azerbaijan’s positions.
And in this context statement by James Warlick is more than difficult regarding visiting Ankara and discussing Karabakh issue with Turkish authorities. Does this mean that in Karabakh negotiations not only Russia supports Turkey’s involvement, but also OSCE MG Western Co-chairs.
Difficult to say. Prior to that it’s worth pondering and attempting to find another reply to the question more important for us, and referring not only NK. Why does the world, the international community consistently show back to Armenia and in the issue of vital importance to us, basically, appears from pro-Azerbaijani positions? Maybe also, but mostly for the reason that Armenia with that consistency showed its back to the world appearing only and exceptionally from the positions of serving to Russia’s interests in its way repeatedly trespassing its own interest.
Probably, on August 10 answers to these questions Russia’s president Vladimir Putin will give to Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan within the latter’s working visit to Moscow. He will give, prior to being informed on the positions of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Iran, and most importantly, of the president of Turkey in all regional issues, including those of Armenia.
By Robert Ter-Sargsyan
