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Karabakh: Opposition Lawmaker Claims Russia's Role In Latest Border

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  • Karabakh: Opposition Lawmaker Claims Russia's Role In Latest Border

    KARABAKH: OPPOSITION LAWMAKER CLAIMS RUSSIA'S ROLE IN LATEST BORDER TENSIONS

    KARABAKH | 03.07.14 | 11:02
    http://armenianow.com/karabakh/55764/armenia_karabakh_azerbaijan_alexander_arzumanyan

    Photolure

    By SARA KHOJOYAN
    ArmeniaNow reporter

    The protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict again appears to be in
    the focus of attention of the world's powers. While some analysts
    in Armenia are convinced that the recent more intensified ceasefire
    violations at the Karabakh-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Azerbaijani borders
    have been directly or indirectly provoked by Russia, the United States
    and France (that co-chair the OSCE Minsk Group along with Russia)
    have called for re-opening talks on Karabakh as soon as possible.

    The number of border incidents has increased considerably in the past
    month or so, while during the past seven days Azerbaijan opened fire
    at residential areas on the Armenian side in the northeastern province
    of Tavush. A 12-year-old Armenian child was wounded in the Berd area
    on Monday.

    Member of Parliament, former Foreign Minister of Armenia Alexander
    Arzumanyan believes that the Azerbaijani side's activities are
    conditioned by Russia's interests.

    "The recent developments show the processes by which they try to draw
    us and Azerbaijan into another war. I don't think that Armenia is
    interested in the resumption of hostilities, as we have no problem to
    solve, and certain forces, some players are trying to plunge us into
    war, which can have very dangerous consequences," Arzumanyan told a
    press conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.

    The opposition lawmaker added that in his opinion Azerbaijan is not
    ready for a full-scale war either. "The moment Azerbaijan feels it
    can solve the problem in the battlefield, it will certainly go to
    war. So, there are forces that direct Azerbaijan, and whether they
    do it directly or indirectly is another matter."

    According to Arzumanyan, since the signing of the truce in 1994 Russia
    has always wanted to deploy its troops in the region, and the current
    border incidents also serve this purpose.

    "As the experience of our 200-year-old relationship shows, at some
    point Russia starts treating us like small change for solving
    its geopolitical problems," argued the former foreign minister,
    stressing that "with a clear conscience Russia is ready to discuss
    Nagorno-Karabakh's future in the context of Azerbaijan's joining the
    Customs Union."

    The foreign ministers of Armenia and Karabakh met in Yerevan on
    Wednesday and also discussed the activities of Azerbaijan in the
    recent period, describing them as "targeted provocations". They said
    these actions "once again prove Azerbaijan's unconstructive stance."

    Meanwhile, Arzumanyan called on Armenian diplomats to draw the
    international community's attention to these incidents. Remarkably,
    there is already international reaction to these events as France and
    the United States have again called for renewed peace talks between
    Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    In particular, Jen Psaki, the US State Department spokesperson,
    called on both sides to redouble their efforts at the negotiation
    table during a press briefing July 2.

    "Obviously, inflammatory rhetoric and statements run counter to the
    principle of reducing tensions, and so we certainly think that that
    damages the peace process, and that's why we're encouraging them
    to redouble their efforts," Psaki said, expressing hope that "the
    presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will accept French President
    Hollande's invitation to hold a summit in Paris as soon as possible."

    A similar appeal was made by the French Foreign Ministry spokesman
    during a question-and-answer session: "France urges the parties to
    refrain from statements that are contrary to confidence building and
    calls the parties to active work."

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