Azerbaijan isn’t ready for war: Lukyanov
“The Co-Chairs consistently maintain neutrality,” Fyodor Lukyanov, Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Affairs, political scientist, told 168.am, reflecting to the statement issued by OSCE MG Co-Chairs these days.
The statement was criticized by Armenian expert and political circles, as the Co-Chairs hinted official Yerevan to return the body of Azerbaijani saboteur killed as a result of the incident near Chinari village on December 29.
This was qualified by experts as unbalanced approach by the Co-Chairs on account of the circumstance that sabotage was organized by the Azerbaijani side, and the saboteur was neutralized in the territory near Armenian positions.
Fyodor Lukyanov stated that it’s difficult to find a tendency in it, moreover, criticizing the Co-Chairs in manifesting unbalanced approach. According to Lukyanov, mediators attempt not to point at even rather obvious guilty for the clashes, keeping their authority among the sides, which, in its turn, is directed to maintenance of negotiations.
“I believe there are traditions in Karabakh negotiations, that all the three Co-Chairs have perfectly realized: they maintained neutrality, cooperated in conflict settlement despite discordances in global issues, they have provided continuity of negotiations.
As far as I’m informed, lasting pauses have never been recorded in negotiations, which we can’t say about negotiations launched as a result of Syrian wars. This should be evaluated.
The point is first responsible for ongoing situation are the parties to the conflict themselves, mediators can’t exert pressure, their task is approaching the sides to the settlement and keep stability on the contact line,” Lukyanov said, assuring that these qualities have maintained negotiations for decades. According to the Russian analyst, in the first half of this year the Co-Chairs will attempt to organize a presidential meeting, which will succeed, as this time the sides won’t go to wide-scale operations.
In his words Azerbaijan won’t attack, as Azerbaijani resources are very little this year and will be even less, which won’t allow spending means on resumption of another war.
“This means that the Azerbaijani side is tended to some concession on the negotiation table, as its alternative is war, to which this side isn’t ready. I consider, under these conditions the maximal concession will be continuation of negotiations on a high level: the sides aren’t yet ready for concessions regarding settlement, although the Armenian side is touching upon concessions on the highest level. I’m not sure that the Armenian side is ready for territorial concessions. Thus, I consider the situation doesn’t promise breakthroughs again, however, war doesn’t threat as well,” Lukyanov said.
By Araks Martirosyan
