Photo: Dmitry Azarov / Commerstant
Politologists are discussing the statement of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilhan Aliev on the Republican Armed Forces Day, which he made during his speech for the soldiers and where he admitted a possibility to grant Nagorniy Karabakh a “special status” within the Republic.
“Can we regard the President’s statement as a step forward? Perhaps. Although Nagorniy Karabakh did have a special status in Azerbaijan during Soviet times”, said dean of the government management of the Moscow state University, deputy of State Duma and President of “Politics” Fund Vyacheslav Nikonov. “Now I am not waiting for the combat operations to start again, as it was in April, I do not see the signs of that. I hope, that the Petersburg summit last week did indeed hasten return to normal conditions. It is good as it is that there was no aggravation after the meeting”.
Nikonov considers the fact that President of Russia Vladimir Putin took the role of a peacemaker himself, organised the Petersburg summit and did not seek assistance of OSCE and Minsk group to be very useful. “There are no easy salvations in this conflict. As a rule, the more parties and their interests in a meeting, the more difficult it is. Discussion without any middlemen involved is usually more honest. The fact that one of the meetings was held among just three presidents, without assistants and ministers, tells that it was not diplomatic at all”, Nikonov pointed out.
On June 20, in Saint Petersburg leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliev and Serzh Sargsyan agreed to continue regular trilateral negotiations to settle a conflict around Nagorniy Karobakh peacefully. Among other things, three presidents held a trilateral discussion for 40 minutes, while diplomats from the Minsk Group states, roving ambassadors of Russia, USA and France and a representative of OSCE secretariat were invited only to the final stage of the meeting, thus making their presence only nominal.
On Sunday, June 26, leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia made statements about peaceful settlement of Nagorniy Karobakh conflict.
President of Armenia Serzh Sarsyan made a statement that the problem around Nagorniy Karobakh should be settled by only peaceful means. “Before the April’s events we said we had to solve the problem on basis of compromise”, cited “RIA Novosti”, but mentioned that ordinary citizens of the Republic did not understand how such a compromise was possible. “Nonetheless I am sure that we have to find the most suitable way”, said Sargsyan. According to him, this way has to be the best one not for Armenia or Azerbaijan, but for the people of Nagorniy Karobakh. “And I believe, the solution will be found”, pointed out Armenian President.
President of Azerbaijan Ilhan Aliev admits a possibility to grant Nagorniy Karabakh a “special status” within the state, informs APA Agency. “Nagorniy Karabakh will never be independent, Azerbaijan will not have a second Armenian state in its territory, this is what’s important. What comes to the status of Nagorniy Karabakh, it does not require an urgent decision”, said Aliev and added that such a status should not harm Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
Ilham Aliev also told about supplies of new arms into the country. “We buy military equipment from many countries and we do not depend on only one source. We’re following the path of diversification in this sphere, as in many others. Certainly, we will try supplying the Azerbaijanian Army with the most recent and modern arms and equipment, we do even now supply it with new ones”, said the head of the state.
