Madrid principles obscure, Russian expert says

PanARMENIAN.Net - The statement issued by the Presidents of the United State, Russia and France on the basic Principles of resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict doesn't contain anything new, a Russian expert said.



"However, examination of the statement's language arouses concerns. There is an impression that the Co-chairs are holding something back," Andrey Areshev, deputy director of the strategic culture foundation, told PanARMENIAN.Net



The principles are obscure, what will be the stumbling block in the talks, according to him.



"We may presume that the authors of the documents wished to make it maximally in the nature of a compromise, as it doesn't mention the thesis of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. But the wrong idea about the origin of the conflict which involves three but not two sides reproduces the initial fallacious logic of the talks," Areshev said.



He said that envisaging withdrawal of Armenian troops from the security belt in exchange for vague wording on the status of Nagorno Karabakh, the document doesn't allay apprehensions of the Armenian sides.



As to the terms on "interim status of Nagorno Karabakh" and "security guarantees" are unconvincing.



"What will be the advantages of the so-called interim status? Besides, the basic principles do not mention demilitarization of the conflict zone and renouncement of warlike propaganda. This arouses concerns that the "security guarantees" will be reduced to complete disarmament of NKR Defense Army and transfer of its arms to so-called "international peacekeepers." Thus, achieving its goals, Baku will hardly care about talks," he said.



Areshev presumed that understanding the insolvability of the conflict, the authors of the document prefer to focus on normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, as Karabakh talks may last for more 10 or 20 years.