Nagorno-Karabakh conflict plays crucial role in Armenia's security

/By AzerNews/

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

Armenia is now experiencing a very tough situation as it faces serious security challenges, a well-known American diplomat told Armenian media.

Director of the International Centre for Defense and Security in Tallinn, Estonia, Matthew Bryza is convinced that Armenia's current blockade condition in the region will trigger security challenges and further its dependence on Russia.

He believes that if Armenia wants to get rid of security threats and Russian dependence, it should be deblocked.

"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict plays a crucial role in this term. American President Barack Obama's precise approach towards the conflict could be of great significance here," he said.

Referring to Armenia's universal reliance on Russia, Bryza said he exerted more and more efforts to convince the Armenian authorities not to become too dependent on Russia each time he visited Armenia.

Bryza, the former co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, added that Armenia's multi-sided dependence upon Russia is primarily seen in the energy field.

He believes that Russia is extremely experienced in view of how to subject Armenia to a fairly heavy dependence. It would be better, if Armenia's rulers did not go down the same path they've already walked, Bryza said commenting on the security of Armenia.

Holding a co-chair seat at the OSCE Minsk Group from 2006 to 2010, Bryza was one of the three mediators alongside middlemen from France and Russia who are involved in peace negotiations in view of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Despite leaving the post at the mediation group, Bryza still supports the Minsk Group's efforts in the light of unlocking the long-lasting conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh via peaceful endeavors.

Earlier in February, he said presidents of both Armenia and Azerbaijan need to take bold decisions in view of the Madrid Principles, while their American and French counterparts should express their personal commitments to help boost the Minsk Group efforts.

Bryza has made comments also on the expansion of the Minsk Group format through Germany and Turkey's participation, saying that it was impossible since Armenia would confront Turkey's involvement given its close ties with Azerbaijan.

The Minsk Group, which has been created to encourage a peaceful solution to Armenia-Azerbaijani conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, is headed by a co-chairmanship consisting of France, Russia and the U.S. through special representatives - Pierre Andrieu, Igor Popov and James Warlick consecutively. However, the co-chairs still fail to break ground for a peaceful solution of the conflict, despite many efforts, especially in light of Armenia's refusal to comply with UN resolutions.

Azerbaijan's internationally recognized Nagorno-Karabakh territory was turned into a battlefield and zone of aggravated tensions after Armenia sent its troops to occupy Azerbaijan's lands in the early 1990s. As a result, 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory stands under military occupation of Armenia.