Nagorno-Karabakh again on the agenda

11.07.2016

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Baku today. He will discuss with the leadership of Azerbaijan the prospects for a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and issues of mutual cooperation.

Russia as a peacekeeper

Russia is currently trying to find a balance between the interests of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia is a key military and political ally of Russia in the Caucasus. Azerbaijan is an economic partner whose relations with Russia have greatly improved over the last two years. Unlike the US, Russia is not interested in strengthening the conflict in the region. This will distract Russia and Turkey from the Middle East and Syria, creating a new knot of contradictions between the two powers in the event of full-scale war.

Improving relations between Russia and Turkey can have a positive impact on the settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. This significantly reduces the prospects to foment a new war.

Workable compromise

On the eve of the visit, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that there had been in negotiations "unprecedented activity in the history of the conflict." One possible partial solution to the conflict can be the transfer to Azerbaijan of the five regions of the republic occupied by the forces of the NKR army. At the same time, the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh will remain under Armenian control.

Related links
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Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Russia
Sergey Lavrov