Monday, April 11 2022 14:30

ArmInfo. The European Union (EU) will continue its attempts to replace Russia in settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani problems, Sergey Markedonov, Leading  Researcher  of the Euro- Atlantic Security Center, Moscow State  Institute of  International Relations (MGIMO), said in an interview with ArmInfo. 

"The Pashinyan-Aliyev negotiations in Brussels on April 6, mediated  by President of the European Council Charles Michel, actually  demonstrated that the previous round last December was not at all a  'stock event'.  Last December the arbitration by Brussels on the one  hand and by Moscow on the other hand was not viewed as two rivaling  diplomatic projects. And this 'variable' can my no means be  independent of the 'equation'," Mr Markedonov said. 

He emphasizes the fact that the March politico-military crisis over  the villages of Khramort and Parukh, and well as Karaglugh,  overlapped the intensified proposals for a peace agreement, with Baku  and Yerevan making relevant statements. And following their meeting  in Brussels, Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev instructed their  foreign ministers to prepare for peace talks.    

Given the fact that the March crisis in Karabakh was accompanied by  an unprecedented thrust of political remarks between Moscow and Baku,  Brussels is seeking to show Moscow's inefficiency not only as a  peacemaker, but also as an arbitrator in the conflict, putting its  negotiation platform in the forefront.  

"In other words, by confronting its position with the Kremlin's  conservative approaches, Brussels is seeking to relegate Moscow to  the background in pushing ahead with a comprehensive Armenian-  Azerbaijani peace agreement. And since compensating for its failures  in Ukraine with success in the Caucasus is of importance for the EU,  it will continue its attempts," Mr Markedonov said. 

"It is not at all a fact that all the European initiatives will prove  successful. After all, it is not European forces that are carrying  out a peacekeeping mission in Karabakh. And their knowledge of the  border delimitation and demarcation issues is much inferior to that  of Russia. And it is Moscow that is principal coordinator of the  process, and Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan's latest meeting with his  Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov is evidence thereof. But the EU  viewing Russia as weakened because of Ukraine and sanctions means  that Europe will only intensify its activity in the Karabakh  process," the expert said.  

Following the negotiations between Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan  and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, mediated by President of  the European Council Charles Michel, in Brussels, on April 6, the  Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders agreed to set up a joint commission  on border delimitation and demarcation. The trilateral negotiations  were preceded by Mr Michel's private meetings with the leaders of  Armenia and Azerbaijan.  

Mr Michel issued a written statement following the meeting, in which  he noted that "both President Aliyev's and Prime Minister Pashinyan's  stated desire to move rapidly towards a peace agreement between their  countries. To this end, it was agreed to instruct [the] Ministers of  Foreign Affairs to work on the preparation of a future peace treaty,  which would address all necessary issues."