ArmInfo.If Russia wishes, it will be able to settle the Karabakh conflict peacefully, said the well-known American political scientist, leading expert of the Atlantic Council of the United States Ariel Cohen.
"I have been optimistic since 1994. I do not believe that the Armenian side is ready to take serious steps towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict, I very much hope that I am wrong." Azerbaijan is increasing from year to year, increasing the power of its army, acquires modern weapons, conducts exercises in the army, and we witnessed this during the April fights, and I think that sooner or later there will be bloody clashes, which is very regrettable. After these clashes, the parties will decide that the conflict needs to be resolved, most importantly, to be settled in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council, "Cohen told APA. Speaking about the role of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the expert expressed the conviction that the parties will understand the importance of an early settlement of the conflict on the basis of the decisions of the UN Security Council. "The main and important role here belongs to Russia, it is clear that the US has moved away from this process, Europe is geopolitically in crisis, it is occupied with its own problems." In a word, Europe is not strong enough to solve the Karabakh problem. The only force that can do something in the region is Russia. If Russia wants to settle the Karabakh conflict, and if the Armenian side is also ready for it, I think that Azerbaijan will agree to a peaceful settlement of the conflict within the framework of the conditions it has been promoting for many years, "the American expert said.