Azerbaijan will never agree to Artsakh’s return to table of negotiations: expert

Artsakh’s return to the table of negotiations stems from Armenia’s and Artsakh’s interests but at the same time it is clear that Azerbaijan will refuse to participate in the process in such case, political analyst, expert in international affairs Suren Sargsyan told Aysor.am, referring to the statement of Armenia’s PM that he cannot represent Karabakh in talks.

According to him, as far as Azerbaijan does not recognize both Nagorno Karabakh’s sovereignty and Artsakh authorities, it will not agree to participate in the talks.

The expert reminded that not negotiating on behalf of Artsakh is the principle position of new authorities of Armenia with Pashinyan having stated about it immediately after becoming a PM and during the presentation of the government’s program as well.

“It is a position he grounded still at the former parliament. Nikol Pashinyan claimed that Artsakh must become negotiating side but it is clear that Azerbaijan will not agree to it,” Sargsyan said.

The expert noted that a situation has been created when Azerbaijan claims that Armenia should negotiate on behalf of two, while Yerevan claims it cannot negotiate on behalf of Artsakh.

“Pashinyan’s groundings may be either acceptable or not, but the voice of the Artsakh people must be heard at decisive phase in talks,” Sargsyan said, stressing that the possibility for Artsakh to become negotiating side is extremely small.

“Azerbaijan has many times voiced its decision, saying that it is not going to negotiate with anyone but Armenian authorities,” the expert said, adding that it is also its strategy to show that the conflict is between Armenia and Azerbaijan and not Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

“If it shows that Artsakh and Azerbaijan are conflicting parties it will mean it recognizes the rights of people fighting for the implementation of their right to self-determination and the circumstance that still in 90s the Azerbaijani authorities exerted pressure on the people of Artsakh,” the expert said.