December 22, 2008 - 15:47 AMT
Andrey Areshev: Yerevan should be more persistent in Karabakh issue
The consequences of the USSR decline will be felt for a long time, a Russian expert said.

"The August was in South Ossetia and Russia's recognition of two Georgian breakaway republics proved that Georgia launched a losing battle," Andrey Areshev, member of strategic culture foundation, wrote in his "Karabakh conflict: returning to the truth" article obtained by PanARMENIAN.Net.

"Unlike Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Transnistria and Nagorno Karabakh were not recognized. At that the situation with Karabakh resembles a diplomatic fuss: frequent visits, statements contradicting one another, vows to observe Madrid principles. Political scientists and journalists discuss who will cede Karabakh to Azerbaijan: either Russia in exchange for gas in Shah Deniz field or the United States in exchange for Baku's joining NATO and the Afghan transit. At that, one and the most important fact remains neglected: the people of Nagorno Karabakh who paid such a high price for their independence will never renounce it," the article says.

"Militarization of the region is going on. The UN and other international organizations demonstrate impotence to alleviate tensions. The mediators neglect military, geopolitical, psychological and geographical aspects of the Karabakh conflict. Pseudo-calls to face the future smack of demagogy; the unity of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs is exaggerated. Under the circumstances, Yerevan should be more persistent in the issue. Neglect of reality is not a productive approach after the August events in South Ossetia," it says.