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AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Aug 22 2014
Sochi meeting reduces Armenian-Azerbaijani tensions
21 August 2014, 14:57 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Finding a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is in the
spotlight of the international community due to the recent escalation
of tensions on contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops.
The meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents mediated by
Russian president in the city Sochi was estimated to slow down the
tensions between the South Caucasus countries. However, the political
analysts' have different views regarding the results of the talks.
Some of them say that the negotiations were unsuccessful, while others
believe that recent talks have resulted in the reduction of tensions
on Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline.
Head of the Caucasus Department of the CIS Institute Vladimir Yevseyev
said in an interview withDay.Az website that the main outcome of the
trilateral meeting of the Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
was a significant easing of tensions on the front line.
Yevseyev said the recent developments on the contact line have
resulted in numerous casualties among military personnel.
He stressed that in case of aggravation of situation even more, the
armed conflict could have its own dynamics, and the likelihood of
involvement of Russia and Turkey was quite large.
"As a result, we could get in the South Caucasus regional war with
unpredictable consequences," Yevseyev noted.
Another, Russian expert also considered that main result of the Sochi
meeting for South Caucasus countries was the reduction of tensions
around Karabakh.
"Of course, all the details of the meeting are still not known, but it
is clear that without the negotiations of IlhamAliyev, SerzhSargsyan
and Vladimir Putin, the number of the victims in the conflict zone
could increase," Head of the Center for Analysis of international
politics under the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements
(IGSO), Russian political expert Michael Neyzhmakov said.
He said through negotiations in Sochi a large-scale armed
confrontation was avoided.
Speaking about Russia's role in settling Armenian-Azerbaijani
disputes, Neyzhmakov noted that the Sochi meeting demonstrated
Russia's role in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and showed that
Moscow is returned to the active mediation in conflict resolution.
Neyzhmakov said Moscow is not interested in the transition of the
conflict in the "hot" phase.
He stressed that due to the Ukrainian crisis, the "hotter" Karabakh
conflict would bring Moscow more problems, as it could get involved in
two conflicts.
On Russia's role in the conflict solution, another political analyst
said that with a mediation role on settling the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict Moscow tries to divert attention from the situation in
Russia.
Senior fellow of the Atlantic Council's DinuPatriciu Eurasia Center,
Sabine Freizer has recently said the recent violation of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani contact line gave Moscow the opportunity to
demonstrate its ability to promote war or peace in the South Caucasus.
She said the aggravation of tensions on Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline
helped Russia divert attention from southeastern Ukraine, where
Ukrainian troops are advancing against separatists.
"Moscow was very quick to assert itself as a sole mediator, summoning
the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents to Sochi. That act
circumvented the long-standing international forum for mediation on
Nagorno-Karabakh, the OSCE's Minsk Group, which includes the U.S. and
French governments. This should sound familiar: In 2008, after Russia
invaded Georgia, it also then took the lead in the
Azerbaijani-Armenian talks, succeeding partly in reaffirming Russia's
centrality and influence," Freizer said.
Aug 22 2014
Sochi meeting reduces Armenian-Azerbaijani tensions
21 August 2014, 14:57 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Finding a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is in the
spotlight of the international community due to the recent escalation
of tensions on contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops.
The meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents mediated by
Russian president in the city Sochi was estimated to slow down the
tensions between the South Caucasus countries. However, the political
analysts' have different views regarding the results of the talks.
Some of them say that the negotiations were unsuccessful, while others
believe that recent talks have resulted in the reduction of tensions
on Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline.
Head of the Caucasus Department of the CIS Institute Vladimir Yevseyev
said in an interview withDay.Az website that the main outcome of the
trilateral meeting of the Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
was a significant easing of tensions on the front line.
Yevseyev said the recent developments on the contact line have
resulted in numerous casualties among military personnel.
He stressed that in case of aggravation of situation even more, the
armed conflict could have its own dynamics, and the likelihood of
involvement of Russia and Turkey was quite large.
"As a result, we could get in the South Caucasus regional war with
unpredictable consequences," Yevseyev noted.
Another, Russian expert also considered that main result of the Sochi
meeting for South Caucasus countries was the reduction of tensions
around Karabakh.
"Of course, all the details of the meeting are still not known, but it
is clear that without the negotiations of IlhamAliyev, SerzhSargsyan
and Vladimir Putin, the number of the victims in the conflict zone
could increase," Head of the Center for Analysis of international
politics under the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements
(IGSO), Russian political expert Michael Neyzhmakov said.
He said through negotiations in Sochi a large-scale armed
confrontation was avoided.
Speaking about Russia's role in settling Armenian-Azerbaijani
disputes, Neyzhmakov noted that the Sochi meeting demonstrated
Russia's role in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and showed that
Moscow is returned to the active mediation in conflict resolution.
Neyzhmakov said Moscow is not interested in the transition of the
conflict in the "hot" phase.
He stressed that due to the Ukrainian crisis, the "hotter" Karabakh
conflict would bring Moscow more problems, as it could get involved in
two conflicts.
On Russia's role in the conflict solution, another political analyst
said that with a mediation role on settling the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict Moscow tries to divert attention from the situation in
Russia.
Senior fellow of the Atlantic Council's DinuPatriciu Eurasia Center,
Sabine Freizer has recently said the recent violation of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani contact line gave Moscow the opportunity to
demonstrate its ability to promote war or peace in the South Caucasus.
She said the aggravation of tensions on Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline
helped Russia divert attention from southeastern Ukraine, where
Ukrainian troops are advancing against separatists.
"Moscow was very quick to assert itself as a sole mediator, summoning
the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents to Sochi. That act
circumvented the long-standing international forum for mediation on
Nagorno-Karabakh, the OSCE's Minsk Group, which includes the U.S. and
French governments. This should sound familiar: In 2008, after Russia
invaded Georgia, it also then took the lead in the
Azerbaijani-Armenian talks, succeeding partly in reaffirming Russia's
centrality and influence," Freizer said.