Thursday, July 13 2023 15:45

ArmInfo. It is necessary to  realize that Russia is losing its political exclusivity regarding the  Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement. A similar opinion is shared by  Sergey Markedonov, Russian political scientist, Leading Researcher at  the MGIMO Institute of International Studies of the Russian Foreign  Ministry.

The Russian political scientist expressed his conviction that the  theses of the Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of  Armenia Armen Grigoryan in an interview on July 11 give reason to  think about the role of Russia in the Armenian-Azerbaijani  settlement.

The expert said that the NATO summit in Vilnius "absorbed" the entire  international information agenda.  However, according to him, no  matter how important the forum in the capital of Lithuania is, other  developments also require serious attention.

In this vein, Markedonov recalled that the settlement of the  Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict has been viewed as completely hopeless  for many years.

"And all attempts to find some solutions are only of short-term  interest. A couple of days of high expectations, then again a  hopeless routine or routine hopelessness.  Meanwhile, the lengthy  interview of the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen  Grigoryan to the VoA Armenian Service  on July 11 gives a reason to  think," he is convinced.  Firstly, the expert continued, Grigoryan is  one of the key negotiators in the process of resolving the conflict  with Azerbaijan.

"It means that he not only  knows all the insides , he forms them.  Secondly, the Secretary of the Security Council is a publicly active  figure, he brings many of the directives of the Armenian government  to the general public at the right time for it. Therefore, we listen  carefully!

Grigoryan's key ideas are: talks between Ilham Aliyev and Nikol  Pashinyan, scheduled for July 21, may take place earlier; The Russian  peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh is not living up to  expectations; the problem of Karabakh Armenians is not about  territories, but about civil rights (in fact, in the Azerbaijani  state); relations with the United States are especially important for  Armenia, they should be strengthened and developed in every possible  way," the political scientist noted.

Markedonov believes that there is no need to make hasty conclusions.  However, according to him, the politico-diplomatic design presented  by Grigoryan testifies that a framework agreement mediated by the  West is closer than before.

"This does not mean a meaningful solution to the settlement of the  conflict, it is about "packaging" it, which the elites of Armenia and  Azerbaijan will be able to "sell" more or less successfully in the  domestic market. This news is not so much. good for Russia.

"This is not about the meaningful settlement of the conflict, it is  about the "packaging" it, which the elites of Armenia and Azerbaijan  will be able to "sell" more or less successfully in the domestic  market This news is not very good for Russia. You can, of course,  blame the pro-Western politicians of Armenia, and such critical  pathos will be justified in some way. Someone will remember (which is  justified) Russia's busyness with Ukraine. But for the sake of  objectivity, it is worth mentioning our work with the Caucasus on a  "leftover principle" (not from 2022, but much earlier), and our gaps  in information work (silence when it was necessary to shout ). In a  word, a complex problem. Armenia, preferring the US to Russia, can  lose more than gain. However, this will not be a good consolation for  us," Markedonov expressed his conviction.

At the same time, he urged not to be hysterical and shout "alarm"! "  But it is necessary to realize that Russia is losing (and more and  more every day) its political exclusivity in the Armenian-Azerbaijani  settlement. A framework agreement with the moderation of the US and  the EU will, alas, strengthen this tendency. Competition, of course,  is not a verdict, it it can and should be won. But now we are getting  involved in this competition, losing the informal status of the first  among equals. Not irrevocably, but there are reasons for concern.  Serious work on mistakes is extremely important, in conditions when  time is running out," Markedonov summed up.