ArmInfo. Azerbaijan will seek to continue pressurizing Armenia, Ruben Mehrabyan of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs told ArmInfo.
"It should be stressed that Armenia's getting rid of this coercion and blackmail is not at all in the interests of Russia, the principal mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia is perceived as the only agent capable of saving the situation. Baku, in turn, is seeking the opportunities and right to open fire at any moment. And this is the reason for Aliyev's rejection of Armenia's proposal for mutual withdrawal of forces," Mr Mehrabyan said.
According to him, under the circumstances Russia exerts influence on Azerbaijan only over the issues that are part of its, Russia's, own agenda, with Baku meekly obeying, whereas no pressure is being exerted on Azerbaijan in Armenia's interests. This being so, the United States and France can only find partial solutions to some issues, while a definitive and expeditious solution is only possible provided Yerevan displays initiatives, which is extremely difficult with Russia exercising its hegemony, Mr Mehrabyan said.
He points out France's decisive role in the handover of eight Armenian POWs to Armenia, especially in the context of an unfavorable international situation Baku found itself in. And amid Azerbaijan's aspiration to harmonize its relations with the European Union, Paris timed its appeal for handing over the POWs.
"We realize that, with these factors considered, expeditious delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian- Azerbaijani border is, beyond doubt, in our interests. The problem is that for the process to get under way Azerbaijan must stop firing - but it is unwilling to. They are acting at will, with no one yet going to talk some sense into them," Mr Mehrabyan said.