The October 27 meeting in Astrakhan is a significant move forward but the adopted declaration should not remain on paper, a Russian expert said.

“Tools to implement the agreements achieved earlier should be developed. Russia has matured in mediating the Karabakh settlement but it’s important to continue consultations to ease tensions, specifically partial demilitarization of the conflict zone, first of all withdrawal of snipers,” Andrey Areshev, deputy director general of the Strategic Culture Foundation, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

However, he emphasized that any talk about conclusion of a comprehensive agreement makes no sense unless an efficient mechanism on prevention of hostilities is worked out.