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President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has stated that “the international community, which still tolerates the situation around Karabakh issue, should make serious conclusions, as the abilities of Azerbaijan and the power of their army grow. We will return our territorial integrity by using all our efforts. We will see the day of victory.” This statement you can find on the official site of the President of Azerbaijan.  

Really, the international community should make serious conclusions; official Baku not only increases its military expenditures and buys a large amount of arms but also declares openly that it is ready to solve the Karabakh issue by use of force. The fact that Azerbaijan continues keeping on its agenda the solution of the issue by use of force is obvious not only from the statements that Baku makes but also from the aggressive policy that it implements.

On the other hand, Azerbaijan threatens the international community with war resumption, expecting that the international community - which is against the solution of the conflict by use of force - will press the Armenian side, and Azerbaijan, as the President of that country states in his speech, will win.

We should mention that President Aliyev does not talk about peaceful settlement but underscores that they will win. That is to say, the issue of establishment of peace and stability in the region or reaching an agreement on solving the conflict is not set as a basis for settlement, but only one-way expectations are stressed.

Despite Azerbaijan’s statements from various tribunes that there is no essential progress in the negotiations “because of the destructive policy of the Armenian side,” indeed, it is clear for everyone that first of all, the following factors hinder serious progress in the negotiation process: 

First, Azerbaijan departs from agreements reached earlier. Second, the Azerbaijani leadership continues making bellicose statements. Third, Baku consistently refuses to implement measures aimed at easing tension at the line of contact: withdrawal of snipers from the front line, introduction of mechanisms to investigate incidents at the line of contact. Fourth, Azerbaijan instigates arms race in the region. The incomplete list of these factors suggests that Azerbaijan not only does not seek peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict but also takes such actions that lead to further deepening of instability and aggravation of the situation in the region.

By Tigran Abrahamyan, political affairs expert