Russian expert: There is trend that Armenia's interests will be sacrificed

How do you assess the current level of rapprochement between Turkey and Russia?

Today, Russia wants to become some sort of a bridge between the West in the face of US and Europe and East in the face of the Muslim world and South-East Asia. It strives to be some sort of a third force in conflicts and contradictions, for example in a contradiction between Israel and Muslim countries. This is because Russia is a multinational and multi-xenophobia county and that Russia has normal relations with the Muslim world. Turkey is Russia’s key ally and partner in the Muslim world. Moreover, Russia has always enjoyed at least positive economic relations with Turkey.

The same can be said about Azerbaijan, too. Azerbaijanis are fraternal nation for us who has lived in the same state with Russia for many years. We do not have any acute differences. We have never had territorial or economic differences. There is large economic diaspora of Azerbaijan in Moscow and St. Petersburg. So, there are many points of rapprochement.

Today, Armenia has a one support, which is its diaspora. The fact that Armenia is a Christian state also plays a role to a certain degree. But the country is largely isolated in the geopolitical area. Given this factor and also developing ties between Moscow, Ankara and Baku, there is certain trend that Armenia’s interests will be sacrificed for the geopolitical interests of the U.S., Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

In your opinion, what role have the United States played in the South Caucasus as of late?

The United States has big problems with the Muslim world which sees it as both economic and cultural aggressor. Despite the fact that Russia has some problems with Wahhabis in the North Caucasus, our policy that we do not oppose the Muslim world because, by and large, we are part of this world. However, the United States with its economic and cultural hegemony tries to instill its culture in the guise of democracy to countries that do not want it and are not ready to face big problems.

The Russian government wants to devote all its energy to establishing close contacts with Asian countries, particularly Muslim states. Again, this is an attempt to become the third force between the West and the countries of Southeast Asia and the Muslim world, who live in its traditional cultural community. In this respect, Turkey and Azerbaijan are the most the closest allies of Russia, because we have a largely common mentality. Once Russia finds a common language with Turkey and Azerbaijan, Russia has a chance to find a common language with other Muslim countries.
 
Unlike Azerbaijan, Armenia has not yet voiced its response on the updated Madrid principles. In your opinion, how long will Yerevan delay the response? What will be Yerevan’s response?

In this case, the decision does not depend on Armenia and Armenian people, but on the so-called Karabakh clan which is currently holding power in Armenia. If today the Minister of Defence of Armenia is a man like Seyran Ohanian, how can one expect that Armenia will return something? That is, it all depends on what benefits it will give to this clan. And this concerns not only Nagorno-Karabakh, but also other similar entities. To be honest, the history has not witnessed cases when part of a country’s territory that once gone out of control then peacefully returned to a country’s control.

Not only Azerbaijan, but also the UN, PACE MPs and Moscow strongly condemned the so-called May 23 “parliamentary elections” in Nagorno-Karabakh...

I don’t think Moscow reacted harshly. It just did not approve this "election". And this is because Russia is interested in developing relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey. So today, it is tactically, strategically, geopolitically advantageous to Moscow to have a position closer to that of Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. But Kremlin will not take a clear position any time soon because it is a matter of bargaining for any politician.


/Day.Az/