Tuesday, July 7 2020 10:56

ArmInfo. In the context of the Karabakh settlement, today, the negotiations of the Foreign Ministers are not so much important as the events in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. A similar opinion, commenting on the past and expected  video conferences of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan,  was expressed by ArmInfo, Scientific Director of the Valdai  International Discussion Club Fedor Lukyanov.

On July 3, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan conducted a  special operation in the country's Foreign Ministry, as a result of  which "high-ranking officials of the ministry Farhad Mollazade, Salim  Alizadeh and Nurupasha Abdullayev were arrested" for abuse of  authority, misappropriation and receiving bribes.  "During such  discussions, the ministers speak and try to solve only situational  problems and tasks. The Karabakh conflict is a protracted conflict  and, as I understand it, it will drag on for a very long time.   Meanwhile, it seems that especially in recent months, there has been  an aggravation of sentiment in Azerbaijan. regarding the Foreign  Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. In his attitude today, a negative opinion  is expressed by many former and current deputies and officials, "he  stressed.

In this light, the Russian analyst expects a further turn of events.  According to him, based on current and expected impulses, it is  important to understand how all this will affect the foreign policy  of Azerbaijan.  Will it become more rigid or vice versa soften.  Today, based on criticism of the Foreign Ministry, according to  Lukyanov, one thing is clear - a meaningful revision of Baku's  foreign policy line is just around the corner.

The analyst does not expect radical changes in the positions of Baku,  while emphasizing that certain, quite sharp changes in the country's  foreign policy will still be. According to him, all the latest  impulses in Azerbaijan indicate this, which, in his opinion, must be  carefully monitored.

Commenting on the current course of negotiations, Lukyanov suggested  that at the level of heads of state and at the level of heads of  foreign ministries various ideas have always been discussed and are  being discussed regarding the settlement of the conflict. According  to his estimates, today everyone understands that in the absence of  balance, any option for resolving the conflict is impossible.

"There is no progress in the settlement because the status quo is  beneficial to literally everyone. It must be understood that any  negotiation or non-negotiation of a change in the status quo can be  beneficial only to one of the parties to the conflict, since everyone  will have to make concessions on basic issues. It's also clear that  any proposals of Russia as a mediator in the direction of reaching a  settlement have been discussed and agreed with France and the United  States. Accordingly, this is precisely the case when Washington and  Paris even agree to a Russian settlement package - the main thing is  that it be agreed with them, "summed up Lukyanov.