Expert: Unresolved Karabakh conflict to further hamper Armenia’s development
Armenia will suffer itself if the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement is suspended, Ariel Cohen, founder of International Market Analysis Ltd., director of the Center for Energy, Natural Resources and Geopolitics, senior fellow at the Institute for Analysis of Global Security, told Trend.
Cohen was commenting on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's recent statement on the country's refusal from the negotiation process.
The expert stressed that it is Armenia that will lose the
economic development horizon, foreign investment and will suffer
from continuing emigration as a result of the unresolved
conflict.
The expert said that the Armenian president's recent statement is
extremely unfortunate.
"This step by President Sargsyan would increase Russia's clout in South Caucasus," the expert added. "Moreover, it would increase potential the Iranian involvement, as Tehran is the ally of Yerevan."
Cohen said that however, the destruction of the peace process opens the door to the increased military confrontation with very negative results to peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"The US, Russia and the EU have a duty to get the sides to resume the diplomatic process," the expert stressed.
The expert said that the governments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan have to finally get to the negotiating table.
Cohen added that any other alternative is much worse.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was
followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented
four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed
forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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