Interview with expert at Moscow Branch of the Carnegie Center, a known political analyst Alexei Malashenko.
Recently, the talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents were followed by the OSCE Minsk Group statement that the parties are given two weeks to put forward proposals on the uncoordinated items on the Madrid principles. Two weeks have already passed. But there is no news in this respect. What did the statement mean, in your opinion?
It is difficult to say what these points of disagreement mean. I personally suppose that after Sochi meeting Baku and Yerevan were simply granted a respite. As the negotiations once again have reached an impasse, the parties apparently are given more time to think. There has always been stupor in the negotiations. I see nothing extravagant about it. It is rather habitual.
How similar are positions of Turkey and Russia, regarding the extent of their desire to promote settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?
I believe that there is some degree of similarity between the positions of these two states on this issue. But I doubt that now both Ankara and Moscow really think that they will resolve everything in near future. Simply, Turkey and Russia behave more actively in the ongoing Karabakh process. Because they want to be further involved in the negotiation process.
Lately Turkey has accused Armenia of actual breakdown in the rapprochement process carried out based on the Zurich accords specifically because Armenia’s Constitutional Court suddenly abandoned the conditions to set up a joint commission to study the events of 1915. Does this mean that in this process has failed?
There were rather exaggerated terms, because they thought Armenian will accept this item as Turkey was first to extend the helping hand. However, Armenians turned out to be tougher. The Turkish-Armenian normalization process is underway one way or another, it just moves very slowly. I will run slowly in the future, too. Its outcome will come soon after the gradual withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territory.
But I am not referring to Nagorno-Karabakh, but adjacent districts. This will happen sooner or later. This is real. And everything else, the recognition or lack of recognition had been pending for a very distant time.
Opening of Turkish-Armenian border cannot do without preconditions. Withdrawal of Armenian troops from occupied territories can be one of them. Moreover, Turkey is tied with Azerbaijan one way or another. Of course, some concessions are necessary. The question is when, how and in what quantities, and in what form.
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