No restraint mechanisms against Azerbaijan discussed in St Petersburg - debate

The recent trilateral presidential summit in St Petersburg (Russia) did not see the participants discuss any restraint mechanisms against Azerbaijan, according to Larisa Alaverdyan, a former ombudsman of Armenia.

At a news conference covering the outcomes of the talks initiated by Russia, Alaverdyan said she is under the impression that each of the sides pursued different objectives. In her words, Armenia called for an end to the repeated escalations, with Azerbaijan demanding control mechanisms in the region and Russia insisting on its role in the conflict settlement process.

“Artsakh’s [Nagorno-Karabakh’s] participation wasn’t considered yesterday. Moreover, the April war unleashed by Azerbaijan was consigned to oblivion as were the crimes of genocide perpetrated by that country in 1988-1991.  When the Bishkek Protocol was being signed in 1994, the steps against the civilians in Azerbaijan were ignored again,” she noted.

Aghasi Yenokyan, a political analyst also attending the news conference, highlighted Russia’s move to act independently of the Minsk Group (by initiating the presidential summit not initially agreed with the mission). “It was Russia’s initiative, which isn’t absolutely good. The West and Russia are kind of competing with one another as to who will seize the initiative. It is not a matter dealing directly with Azerbaijan or Armenia,” he said.

Yenokyan, who heads the Armenian Center of National and International Studies, attached importance also to the Armenian president and foreign minister’s meeting with the Minsk Group co-chairs (who left for St Petersburg but didn’t attend the meeting).

Speaking further, political analyst Gagik Hambaryan said he feels that Russia is trying to kind of play the first fiddle in the process.  Russia’s interest, according to him, is in the maintenance of the status quo over Nagorno-Karabakh and its influence upon Azerbaijan and Armenia.