H. Melik-Shahnazaryan: Armenia’s preventive measures show mediators that Azerbaijan can no longer sell peace

The current stage of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations is the tensest and most negative one since the signing of the ceasefire. Political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan expressed that opinion at a press conference today. He considered the preventive actions taken by the Armenian side as efficient. “Azerbaijan’s activity has been relatively suppressed now compared with last month. It is evident that Azerbaijan was finally forced to take regional developments into account, it cannot see itself outside those processes and form its political agenda,” he said.

When asked if a meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible in this situation, Melik-Shahnazaryan replied that he does not see such an opportunity at the moment.

“The foreign ministers of the two countries met in New York, but the meeting did not produce any results. An announcement about a new meeting of the presidents was expected to be a result. The issue was not solved at a level of foreign ministers, which means that serious consultative work lies ahead. At least one meeting of ministers shall be organized prior to the president’s summit,” the expert said.

When commenting on the negotiating process on the Karabakh conflict settlement and the issue of whether anything should be changed in it, Melik-Shahnazaryan said that the negotiating position will change: with its preventive measures, Armenia shows the mediators that Azerbaijan can no longer sell peace, that the Armenia side has potential for ensuring peace, while Azerbaijan’s formula of “territories in exchange for peace” has never been realized.

“A change in the negotiating position means a change in the logic of negotiations in general, and we will see soon what will be proposed. In any case, since the moment when it became clear that Azerbaijan poses no danger and is unable to resolve the conflict by military means, Armenia’s position has strengthened - in terms of Artsakh’ recognition or giving an International status to Artsakh. It was reflected to some extent in the statement of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan that Artsakh is an inseparable part of Armenia,” Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan noted.

As was reported, at the September 26 sitting of the State Commission on Coordination of Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, President Sargsyan said when speaking about flagrant ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan: “When we say that we are afraid of a war, but not afraid to wage a war, these are not empty words. Armenia – and when say Armenia, it is also Nagorno Karabakh as an inseparable part of it - is one of the most militarized areas on the planet. As our grandfathers used to say, pilaff is not distributed in wartime. In the past 20 years of a forced truce, which – because of Baku’s authorities - has not turned into peace, we have done our best to avoid new clashes. We will also do everything now, and it makes part of punitive actions… We will confidently force the Azerbaijani government to answer before their people for new suffering inflicted on them”.