Provocations won’t stay without consequences, says Andrey Areshev

The attack by Azerbaijani group on the connecting zone with armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh could hardly be committed without permit, told media Russian expert, political scientist, Deputy Director General of the Strategic Culture Foundation Andrey Areshev.

“It’s easy to make such kind of conclusion by analyzing the sequence of circumstances. Surely, we can’t absolutely close consider the issues whish were on agenda during the trilateral meeting between presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. We can suggest that Russia’s position -- as a neutral mediator who acts as a part of talks with an aim to help the sides to reach a mutually acceptable and compromising solution – was once again confirmed as many times before and publicly as well.

“But then quite unexpectedly it has been announced that Azerbaijan’s President had left St. Petersburg, not remaining for the main part of the economical forum, and this was followed by the Azerbaijani secret service and diversionary group’s attack when they tried to invade into territory of Nagorno Karabakh on June 18,” said Areshev pointing that the incident can come as another step taken by Baku to suppress diplomatically the Armenian side.

“From this point of view, the reaction of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan is significant: its official says that such kind of incidents show that ‘Azerbaijan will never make up with fact of occupation of its territories.’ He said that ‘such kinds of happenings show that the Azerbaijani-Armenian, Karabakh, conflict isn’t frozen’ and ‘there is a quite easy way to avoid the war – just to follow to the table for negotiations.’ A spokesperson to Azerbaijani military ministry said that ‘if Armenia doesn’t leave the occupied territories and if it takes such kind of prevocational steps then it will be attacked by a stronger strike.’

“So, however, neither talk can be held at gunpoint when one of the sides perceives its objective as well as objectives of mediators as to make the opposite side surrender.

“It is hardly a productive idea, and if the provocations don’t stop, then they will not surely stay without consequences,” said Andrey Areshev.