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The situation around Nagorno-Karabakh is not likely to escalate into full-scale military operations in 2018, an Armenian political expert said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan, Alexander Iskandaryan stated the current developments in the Artsakh peace process rule out any chances of progress, however an all-out war is also not likely, adding the situation on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact will depend on several factors, namely the activates of both the world powers and Armenia, as well as the developments inside Azerbaijan.

The analyst, however, pointed to the possibility of major flare-ups on the frontline this year. 

Iskandaryan did not rule out frontline escalations during the Azerbaijani elections, adding they can also be prompted by certain visits, as well as the economic dynamics.

The analyst highlighted the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is used as a tool by the Azerbaijani authorities, therefore the escalations are inevitable rather than expected, adding it is a different matter to what extent Armenia will be able to restrain them.

Alexander Iskandaryan does not expect any breakthrough from the meeting scheduled between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, adding the meetings do not focus on the Karabakh conflict settlement, but rather on maintaining security in the region.

Touching upon the major events in Armenia in 2017, the analyst singled out the inauguration of the highway in northern Karabakh, the launch of the Meghri Free Economic Zone as well as the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Armenia and the European Union.

As an unprecedented event, Iskandaryan named the fact the Armenian political forces refrained from appealing the results of the parliamentary elections for the first time.

He also pointed out the absence of serous escalations on both the Armenia-Azerbaijan and the Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact lines in 2017 as an important fact.