/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Azerbaijan breathed with relief learning that he is not forced to settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Armenian treats it in a similar way. Outside pressure is less than the resistance from within. We oppose efforts to settle the problem stronger than we are pressed on,” Director of Caucasian Media Institute, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan stated at a conference entitled “Caucasus-2006” in Yerevan. He said, currently the arms race has become a new level of threat balance and stabilizing and peace factor. “Status quo situation in Karabakh issue satisfies Azeri and Armenian political elites. At the same time only “blitzkrieg” satisfies Azerbaijan. However, if it turns into a trench war, absorbs country’s whole territory, the Karabakh army launches counterattack, it will result in political instability within Azerbaijan. And in case if military operations drag out, the situation will create serious threats for the regime, which now feels very comfortable participating in oil projects,” Iskandaryan underlined.

“Under the current balance of powers there cannot exist any threats of war, if not mad people are dealing with the issue and I am not inclined to call “mad” Armenian and Azeri leaderships. Oil and gas pipelines, as well as construction of Kars-Baku railway are another factors for freezing the conflict finally. As a result of these projects it has become almost impossible to try to settle conflicts in South Caucasus with radical means,” the Director of Caucasian Media Institute underscored.