U.S. wants Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be solved only through its efforts: Russian expert

Russia-based Political Technologies Center Vice President Sergei Mikheyev says the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Turkey-Armenia borders will certainly be discussed during Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the United States.  

“Most likely, the Karabakh conflict will be discussed behind closed doors. There will be no public statements on this issue at all, or they will be of streamlined nature. The parties will voice their "concern" and express hopes for "settlement of the conflict as soon as possible" as usual,” the expert said.

“There are quite objective reasons - the U.S. and Turkey are not able to bilaterally resolve the issue. At most, they may offer some mediation services. Mediation capacity of the United States and Turkey in this matter is also limited,” he said.

“With regard to opening of Turkish-Armenian border, the parties can be more frank in this matter because this process was possible due to U.S. influence on Turkey. The United States understands it will be impossible to tear Armenia from Russia without removing the country from the isolation. Forcing Russia out of the Caucasus remains one of the most pressing problems for the Americans whatever they speak about the "reset.”

Mikheyev also does not exclude option of U.S pressure on Armenia to liberate the occupied Azerbaijani lands.

"There pressure is likely to happen. But this pressure is unlikely to be open. U.S. wants Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be solved only through its efforts. But all too obvious pressure on Armenia will cause a strong wave of anti-American sentiment in Armenia and could disrupt plans for the rapprochement of U.S. and Armenian positions on the geopolitical positioning,” he said.  

“Actually, anyone who would favor in Armenia refusing to support the Nagorno-Karabakh, let him be American, Russian or Turkish, risks to ruin his public reputation in this country,” Mikheyev said.

T. Teymur
Day.Az