I. Muradyan: Clinton’s visit will change nothing

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s and OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan indicate that the United States stays in the Caucasus, political analyst Igor Muradyan thinks. He told a press conference today that Washington wants to demonstrate that it is the United States that resolves the problem and the initiative belongs to it, not to Moscow or Paris. According to the speaker, with an agenda made in advance, the mediators will go to Baku and say that they have arranged it in Yerevan.

According to the expert, nothing will happen in the region after Clinton’s visit, and no one will convey disagreement to the Secretary of State on Madrid principles and on the statement made by the three superpowers’ Presidents in Canada.

“It is not a political visit, and nothing will be solved here. It will be merely said that we made a statement. Do you agree to it? Neither the President nor the Foreign Minister will express disagreement,” Mr. Muradyan said.

The analyst considers that Clinton’s visit and the three Presidents’ statement come from three circumstances. First, the United States seeks to recruit Russia making it not partner but participant in carrying out its problems and strategy. Second, Washington seeks to show Ankara that they still have a chance to continue cooperation.

Mr. Muradyan also said that many American experts are concerned about the fact that the South Caucasus and Ukraine have the apprehension that Americans allegedly betrayed them.

“It is not pleasant for the United States, therefore U.S. administration tries to demonstrate the opposite by making reverences in the Caucasus and Kiev,” Mr. Muradyan said.