Stepan Safaryan: Safarov’s extradition was aimed at Karabakh conflict escalation
The aim of Ramil Safarov’s extradition was escalation of Karabakh conflict, of which Azerbaijan and Turkey have some expectations, Stepan Safaryan, Secretary of Heritage party, told reporters in Yerevan.
According to him, by pardoning Safarov, Azerbaijan seeks to place Karabakh issue on the international agenda, and Turkey would like OSCE Minsk Group format to change so that it could squeeze in.
It would be wrong to stop Karabakh talks now, the expert thinks, because to deadlock the process means to contribute to changing the negotiation format, which is desired by Turkey so much.
Safarov’s extradition is a “Turkish-Azerbaijani adventure,” Safaryan stated, adding that Armenia should refrain from steps that could increase tensions in the region and should not yield to that adventure.
“That does not mean, however, that Armenia should not take exact steps. We should place the issue of NKR’s recognition on both Armenian and international agenda,” he concluded.