ArmInfo. As a result of the next escalation of the situation on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, we have to state that it was the situation on the border that came to the fore, bypassing Karabakh. It will be more difficult to untie the border knot between Armenia and Azerbaijan than even the Karabakh one.
A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by Sergey Markedonov Sergei Markedonov, the leading researcher at the Euro-Atlantic Security Center of the MGIMO Institute for International Studies, Moscow.
"Military clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan have long become an inseparable part of regional geopolitics. However, the fighting on November 16 requires special attention, as it is the largest clash of the year since the announcement of a joint ceasefire between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on Karabakh. A separate topic is the results of these battles - dozens of dead, missing and captured servicemen from both sides, "he stressed.
Returning to the main topic of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over the transformation of the interstate border, the analyst stated that several knots are being tied in parallel around this topic, within the framework of which Azerbaijan is trying to get through the territory of Armenia a corridor for communication with Nakhichevan. Armenia, in turn, is trying to resist this, fearing that concessions may acquire the character of infinity and become a serious threat to its very sovereignty.
Against such a background, Moscow's mediation efforts and its equivalent distance from the parties to the conflict, according to the analyst, cause some discontent in the Armenian mediaand expert circles. Especially against the background of Ankara's extremely clear position in this conflict, which supports Baku in everything and everywhere. In this light, Markedonov drew attention to the completely different meanings and roles of Turkey and the Russian Federation in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"Turkey is a consistent supporter of Azerbaijan, while Russia is a moderator in the conflict, whose moderation is accepted by Baku, Yerevan and the OSCE Minsk Group. In this light, the positions of Moscow and Ankara should be compared, without going beyond the framework of correctness, in my opinion only in the full understanding of these fundamental differences between Turkey and Russia. Here, I think, it is appropriate to recall that it is the Russian Federation that is still the main mediator in the process of conflict management. And it was Russia that contributed to the suspension of hostilities on November 16. And here it is important to note that it is more and more difficult for Moscow to stop the bloodshed from time to time. The territory of the Republic of Armenia is not a disputed Karabakh. And it is necessary to understand that the introduction of the CSTO mechanisms and the guarantees that Russia gave Armenia under the 1997 Treaty, is fraught with risks, including for the Karabakh direction of Moscow's peacekeeping activities," Markedonov summed up.
After shelling the positions of the Armenian Armed Forces in the eastern direction, Azerbaijan on November 14 launched another round of escalation in the conflict with Armenia. On November 16, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces attacked Armenian positions with artillery, armored vehicles and small arms in the same direction, infiltrating the territory of Armenia. As a result of local battles, both sides have losses. The clashes ended at 6:30pm, according to the agreement reached with the mediation of the Russian side.