Radar Armenia‘s interlocutor is Shahan Gantaharyan, an international scholar.
– The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan scheduled for June 12 in Washington was postponed. Could you please explain that to me?
– Baku is playing a double game. By torpedoing the November agreement, from not releasing prisoners of war to encircling Artsakh and setting up a checkpoint, it essentially provides a card to Washington, emphasizing that Russian peacekeeping is not working and new international guarantees or appropriate tools are needed. On the other hand, the intensity of the negotiation process undertaken by the collective West and the rapid frequency of meetings, taking a “time out,” hinders. It wants to rule out every possibility of pressing new guarantees.
– Do you see Russian interference here?
– Rather, I see a coincidence of interests. Suppose Baku wants to exclude any new guarantee. In that case, it naturally follows the interests of Moscow, which declares on every occasion that it cannot work in any direction outside of the tripartite agreements. But this coincidence of interests is short-lived. Baku does not want any guarantees at all and endlessly strives to accept Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan without the presence of any third country.
– The US ambassador was in Syunik again. How do you interpret this visit? What is its significance?
– It speaks about the geopolitical significance of Syunik. Syunik is a hub both north-south and east-west. The opening of the US consulate in Syunik may follow the beginning of the Russian consulate.
– The EU civilian mission plans to establish three operational centers in Kapan, Ijevan, and Yeghegnadzor in the coming months. How will the Russian side accept this circumstance, and what consequences can it lead to?
– It also speaks about Syunik’s role. Representations of the leading players will be present in Syunik. Point 9 of the statement of November 9, which is the whole key node of the processes, turns into the unblocking of the region and the geopolitical center. Syunik is becoming a laboratory for the interests of the USA, Turkey, the EU, Iran, and the Russian Federation.
