Karabakh Conflict has Entered a New Phase: Vartan Oskanian

Vartan Oskanian, former RA MFA, made a post on Facebook regarding perspectives for recent development of Karabakh conflict and negotiations, which reads,

“After the four-day war, Karabakh conflict definitely has entered a new phase. I consider, we should be able to rather quickly perform the following three steps—give proper explanation to reasons of war situation; assess our actions throughout these days; clarify follow-ups. Here the crucial point is, of course, whether it’s possible to prevent this war and avoid numerous casualties.

Commonly, two factors have contributed to ceasefire maintenance since 1994—real perspective for the issue settlement through negotiations and military-political and economic balance on both sides of the Line of Contact.

In recent years these factors have been essentially violated. On the one hand, negotiations are in a deadlock for a long time, and on the other hand, as a result of big expenditures on military statements and weaponry, Azerbaijan started to believe in its military privilege.

Here, it’s combination of these two factors that found its military expression in recent days, despite the fact what was the incitement for resumption of military operations. We have serious follow-ups on both platforms. On military platform, very often perception of force, despite the fact how non-real and consequential it may be, than that of availability of real power. I consider, equal response of our army to Azerbaijan and hundreds of casualties and military equipment loss will change their perceptions on military balance violation. However, this doesn’t mean we don’t have follow-ups. Our follow-ups are rather serious.

It’s necessary to free negotiations from the deadlock on diplomatic platform. Victory of the Armenian side in the period of 1991-1994 in the battlefield needs to be diplomatically enshrined not but the Azerbaijani side but of the Armenian. Negotiation deadlock doesn’t come from our interests. Returning Azerbaijan to negotiation table should be issue number one of our diplomacy and foreign policy.”