Saturday, October 24 2020 15:57

ArmInfo.The successes of the Armenian army can force returning the Aliyev regime to the negotiating table, achievements that pose a substantive threat to his  regime. A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by former Artsakh  Foreign Minister, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Arman  Melikyan.

"And here, it is important to understand, to realize the degree of  necessity for such negotiations for Armenia and Artsakh. It is  important to understand whether leaving the doors of this war half  open will not lead to a new war.

Today Ilham Aliyev told Fiagro that in the event of a ceasefire from  the Armenian side, Baku will be ready to stop hostilities: "We are  ready to stop hostilities today. We just need Armenia to cease fire.  And then it is the diplomats who will have to act." According to the  diplomat, in confirmation of its unwillingness to bargain over the  status of Artsakh, Azerbaijan tried to deliver a diplomatic ultimatum  to Armenia through armed aggression. As a result, the future of the  negotiations and of Artsakh itself is being decided on the  battlefield.

In this light, the minimum program of the Armenian side, according to  Melikyan, is to refrain from military defeat at this stage. The  maximum program is to strike a fatal blow at the enemy, which will be  able to demoralize not only their army, but also the deep rear, the  control system of Azerbaijan.

At the same time, the absence at this stage of a diplomatic solution  to the Artsakh problem within the framework of negotiations with  Baku, in his opinion, does not at all indicate the need to freeze  Yerevan's diplomatic efforts towards a solution to the problem  acceptable for Armenia and Artsakh.  "For example, the same  recognition of the independence of Artsakh by various states will  create completely new preconditions and guarantees for ensuring the  security of Artsakh people. And Stepanakert should take some steps in  this direction independently. It is too early to talk about these  steps more substantively," the diplomat concluded.