U.S. expert on U.S. and Russia interests in Karabakh conflict resolution

Do you share an opinion that, as of now, the US is not playing an active role in the CIS region?

No, I see no significant reduction of US interest in the CIS under Obama. On the contrary, US interest in stability, security and democracy in the CIS — especially Azerbaijan -- remains strong.

Azerbaijan tries to develop good relations with Russia and at the same time cooperates actively with U.S....

I think Azerbaijan’s long-term interest is best served by forging closer relations with West, especially in the economic and energy field. Azerbaijan’s participation in the Nabucco pipeline in particular would help create a Southern energy corridor linking Caspian gas producers with European markets and enable Azerbaijan to create closer ties to Europe. Participation in Nabucco would not prevent Azerbaijan from having good relations with Russia.

The South Caucasus is full of ethnic conflicts, Karabakh conflict in particular. Do you think that Russia really interested it their settlement or there is a need of more active U.S.’s engaging in these conflicts?

The United States and Europe need to be more active in seeking a resolution of conflicts in the Caucasus, especially the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The recent visit to Baku by U.S. Secretary Defense Robert Gates — who carried a personal letter to President Aliyev from President Obama - is an important sign that the United States wants to improve relations with Azerbaijan and that it recognizes the critical role that Baku can play in enhancing security and stability in the Caucasus. The visit was designed to dispel recent concerns in Baku that the United States was not paying enough attention to Azerbaijan and to signal U.S. interest in intensifying U.S.-Azerbaijani relations. The U.S. wants to see a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and is likely to intensify efforts within the Minsk group to obtain a resolution of the conflict. However, Russia also needs to play a more active role in seeking a solution. Moscow has considerable economic and political leverage over Armenia.  But to date it has been unwilling to use its leverage to facilitate a settlement.

Karabakh is an internationally recognized part of Azerbaijani territory, but Armenia still continue to occupy this region. May the international community recognize so called independence of Karabakh as did it in Kosovo case?

No. The international community has no interest in or intention to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. The want to see a resolution based on the Madrid principles, which call for a phased settlement which would begin with a withdrawal from the seven regions in Azerbaijan fully or partially occupied by the Karabakh Armenian forces during the war. In return, Karabakh’s population would be able to decide the enclave’s status in a legally binding referendum.


/Day.Az/