ArmInfo.One of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict - Russia itself is facing many challenges and problems, member of the expert council of the Carnegie Moscow Center, Chief Researcher at Dialogue of Civilizations Research Alexey Malashenko expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"It is noteworthy that some of these challenges and problems of ours are due to Turkey. Even more remarkable are the conversations and discussions between Moscow and Ankara regarding the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Turkey is already partially involved in these processes. And due to its obvious assistance to Azerbaijan, it is gradually becoming a serious regional actor, "he stressed.
According to Malashenko's estimates, the unsubstantiated and therefore groundless optimism observed in the last two years in the negotiations on Karabakh should have sooner or later develop into the current situation. Meanwhile, the real positions of the parties to the conflict, in his opinion, are being revealed precisely today. One sounds a little soft, the other is harsher. Nevertheless, the content of the sides' positions does not change anything from this tonality.
In light of the recent speeches of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the expert is convinced that none of the demands of the parties is acceptable for the opposite side. In this light, he expects from the upcoming meeting of the parties to the conflict only statements that do not satisfy absolutely anyone and the implementation of the functions of the OSCE Minsk Group. Malashenko assesses the current state of affairs as a vicious circle. The light at the end of the tunnel, in his opinion, is also not visible, given the lack of readiness for the balanced concessions proposed by one of the parties.
As it became known recently, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are making efforts to organize the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In such a situation, the expert sees the only way out in ensuring the duration of the process of meetings between the leaders of the conflicting countries in order to avoid another escalation. This process alone, according to him, requires impressive efforts from the co-chairing countries. At the same time, according to his assessments, the situation around Karabakh has no priority character for any of these countries. Accordingly, neither Russia, nor the United States, nor France are able to constantly deal with this conflict, which leads to its permanent escalation.
"The latter, in turn, creates challenges for the co-chairs of the Minsk Group themselves. In this light, in the foreseeable future, I predict the growth of existing and the emergence of new challenges, both on the border and the line of contact in Karabakh, and in the negotiation process itself. Threats are multi-vector and complex, the situation is explosive and in the foreseeable future does not contain even a hint of a settlement, "the Russian expert concluded.