ArmInfo.Moscow's attempt to assist Baku in the Artsakh issue is due to the threat that the strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Turkey poses to Russian interests, Head of the Armenian Center for National and Strategic Studies Manvel Sargsyan expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"Russia has been trying to isolate Azerbaijan from Turkey for years, and has not succeeded in its attempts so far. It is for this reason that Moscow occasionally makes concessions on various issues, which are insignificant for itself but significant for Azerbaijan. But, by and large, Russia keeps Azerbaijan in its own orbit, as a rule, at the expense of Armenia's interests, "he stressed.
According to analyst estimates, following the escalation of April 2016 agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg on the introduction of mechanisms for investigating incidents at the border, were frozen by Baku precisely with the support of Moscow. And Russia took this step, going towards and in the interests of Azerbaijan.
"According to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the OSCE Minsk Group accepted the agenda proposed by Armenia, which is unacceptable for Azerbaijan. The matter concerns clarifying the Madrid principles, discussing the return of Artsakh to the negotiating table. All this creates great difficulties for Baku, but it's necessary to discuss these issues and the co-chairs cannot refuse it, "he stressed.
As a result, according to the analyst, Baku again went the beaten path and appealed for help to Moscow with a request not to let Yerevan introduce its own agenda into the talks. And Moscow once again responded to this request. In this light, Armenia, according to Sargsyan, should force Russia as well to adopt its own agenda . Moreover, it should be done calmly, remembering that it was Russia that in 1993 was the first to recognize Artsakh as a full party to the negotiations.
"It is necessary to work with Russia, step by step trying to explain that they have long recognized Artsakh as a party to the conflict. I hope that the Armenian side insisted to the maximum and justified the need to implement its own negotiation agenda on April 15 in Moscow at a meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan with participation of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ", Sargsyan concluded.
Since 1992, the OSCE Minsk Group has been involved in resolving the Karabakh conflict, represented by the co-chairs from Russia, the United States and France. At present, the settlement process is proceeding on the basis of the Madrid Principles put forward by the OSCE Minsk Group in 2007 and the Madrid Principles updated in 2009, which, among other things, provide for the deployment of a peacekeeping force in the conflict zone.