Peace in the region does not depend only on Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin could not directly answer the question of whether Moscow will be able to guarantee the security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. According to him, however, the trilateral working group is doing everything possible to ensure that war does not break out in the region again and that normal relations develop between the people of the region.
Artsakh children remember soldiers who died in the war with Azerbaijan. Photo: Artur Avakov
During his direct line, Putin was asked about the fate of Artsakh. Above all, the Russian president decided to emphasize the role played by Moscow at the end of the Second Karabakh War. Secondly, the people of the self-proclaimed republic themselves should be interested in preventing this tragedy from happening again. Thirdly, Putin believes that if Armenians and Azerbaijanis live in peace and friendliness, they will be able to create the conditions for improving people's lives, not only in terms of security, but also in terms of socio-economic. He also stressed that there were still problems with the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Recall that at the end of September 2020, Azerbaijan attacked the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. The war lasted 44 days, after which the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan signed an armistice with Baku through Russia's mediation. According to the agreement, Artsakh will give up the entire seat belt and, in addition, will lose the Hadrut and Shushi area. The security of the republic and the only way to it through the Lachin corridor is provided by Russian peacekeepers for 5 years (until November 2025).
However, in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, many fear that after this time, peacekeepers will leave and the region will go to the Azerbaijanis. The official Baku adds oil to the fire, which directly declares that the conflict in Karabakh is over, we can not talk about any recognition of Artsakh, etc.
Experts explained to the MK why Putin could not unequivocally answer the security question :
– It is not yet known what will happen in 4.5 years when the mandate of the Russian peacekeeping force in Karabakh ends. Moreover, this understanding is not yet available in Azerbaijan, Armenia or Russia. Artsakh security therefore depends not only on Moscow, but also on Baku and Yerevan.
In particular, the Armenian authorities should make greater efforts to provide more room for maneuver in 4.5 years. For example, we need to work on the problem of the Lachin corridor and the return of refugees to Berdzor. So far, there has been no improvement in this direction. At the same time, it must be emphasized that if Armenia does not show activity, Russia will not do so for it. Moscow plays the role of mediator and peacemaker, but cooperation can be expanded if there is a wish.
– For the time being, Russia is ensuring the security of Karabakh and I hope that it will continue in the future. Fears that Russia will throw everything away and leave in a few years should not be justified. Moscow has taken responsibility, it is not in our habit to leave it. It seems to me that Putin has only confirmed this intention.
At the same time, the situation is difficult. Turkey is actively developing this region, as confirmed by the Shuš Declaration. All this dictates the need for a more serious and vigilant approach to the implementation of the Union Treaty between Armenia and Russia.