Epress.am News from Armenia
Russia’s role in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process has changed since the 90s, said political analyst and journalist Kenan Guluzade in an interview with Newcaucasus.com.
“It’s now another country; its political ambitions, at least along the country’s borders, are supported by its economic potential. Russia can now buy, bribe and offer better conditions than other interested countries in the region. And in the South Caucasus, the West can’t compete with the current Russia. The West is so bogged down with problems in other regions that it has neither the time nor the patience to play in our region,” he explained.
According to Guluzade, for this reason, with the consent of the West, talks on Nagorno-Karabakh came under the de-facto monopoly of Russia as the moderator.
“It’s felt that [Russian President] Dmitry Medvedev wouldn’t be opposed to put a certain end in the Karabakh conflict by the end of his first term [in office]. Russia is now demonstrating a more balanced and pragmatic position toward the conflicting parties — unlike in the 90s and before the start of Medvedev’s presidency,” Guluzade concluded.