Wednesday, July 21 2021 12:35

ArmInfo.Having gained a strong, forceful rear with the return of the democrats to the White House, the European Union, especially in the recent period, has  significantly intensified its efforts towards its "return" to the  South Caucasus. A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by the  head of the "Free Citizen" public organization Hovsep Khurshudyan.

"This is evidenced by both the unprecedented financial assistance  promised, including to Armenia, and the number of visits of European  diplomats to Armenia. And, of course, the expected visit of French  President Macron. In particular, I consider it important to note the  EU's interest in regional communications, in general, and to the  project for the construction of the North-South highway, in  particular. We know that the EU has already expressed its readiness  to invest 600 million euros in this project. It is also known that  such investments are always protected, "he stressed.

Against this background, according to the expert's forecasts, very  soon the Minsk Group will put before Russia the question of the  timing of the implementation of the trilateral commitments undertaken  by it on November 9 last year and January 11 this year.  Implementation of commitments to unblock communications throughout  the region with the participation of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.  And, of course, Moscow's unfulfilled obligations to resolve numerous  humanitarian problems in Artsakh. One of which is the return of  Armenian refugees to Shushi and Hadrut, as well as the return of all  prisoners without exception.

"Putin stopped the war - this is a fact. He brought his troops to  Artsakh - this is also a fact. But he did not fulfill all his other  obligations regarding unblocking communications, returning prisoners  and refugees.  Meanwhile, the appearance of Russian peacekeepers was  accompanied by clear obligations to fulfill all the rest conditions  for the cessation of hostilities. And perfectly realizing that Aliyev  will never agree to the return of the Armenian residents of Shushi  and Hadrut to their homes, Putin is in a hurry to demonstrate to the  West progress in the process of unblocking communications.  However,  Aliyev, as an integral part of unblocking communications, according  to the expert, today demands from Putin to fulfill, apparently, his  promise to provide Azerbaijan with a corridor to Nakhichevan through  the territory of Syunik region. To which Pashinyan does not agree. As  a result, not receiving what was promised, Aliyev, according to  Khurshudyan, aggravates the situation now in the Eraskh direction,  demonstrating his own capabilities of turning into a zone of  instability of the territory through which, in fact, the most  important part of the unblocked communications should have passed.   "However, as a result of all the militancy with a geopolitical bias,  Aliyev can get exactly the opposite of the expected result. In the  form of the deployment of international observers on the border and  their participation in the process of demarcation and delimitation of  the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Such participation has already been  announced in Yerevan by the President of the European Council Charles  Michel. In this light, the current geopolitical situation contains  both challenges and threats and opportunities for Armenia. And all  this is conditioned and justified by the interest that Yerevan  finally began to show towards the West, " summed up Khurshudyan.