Expert: Armenia not interested in phased settlement of conflict as it seeks to preserve status quo
By Akbar Mammadov
Armenia is not interested in the phased resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as it is interested to preserve the status quo, Deputy Director General of the Russian Federal Information-Analytical Agency “Vestnik Kavkaza” Andrei Petrov told Azertag.
“Armenia could insist on the package [phased] scenario, because in this case the time for a peaceful settlement would be extended, but any option that supports the status quo is beneficial for the aggressor”, said Petrov.
The expert said that to start advancing the settlement process it is enough to agree on the first stage of the liberation of Azerbaijan’s territories from occupation to create conditions for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.
“Each stage will lead to another stage and the conflict will be gradually resolved and the long-awaited peace will be established in the South Caucasus,” Petrov said.
He noted that it is more difficult to both agree and implement a package option for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “It is because this option envisages, firstly, to start implementing them only after the completion of negotiations on all issues, and secondly, to release all the transitional stages of the situation in the conflict zone”, he added.
It should be noted that on April 21, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed the step-by-step settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which includes the liberation of a number of areas around Nagorno-Karabakh and the unblocking of transport, economic and other communications.
The Armenian authorities made a number of statements after Lavrov’s proposal, rejecting the step-by-step or phased settlement of the conflict.
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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97
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