Truce: More Questions than Answers

Baku / 10.11.20 / Turan: The truce concluded last night gave rise to a lot of questions, the answers to which are still unclear. They primarily concern the Russian peacekeepers, their status and powers. This is the most troubling point for Azerbaijan.

So, initially, the issue of peacekeepers was to be resolved after the withdrawal of Armenian forces and the liberation of all regions and Karabakh itself.

Now a situation is possible when the peacekeepers will enter Karabakh, and the Armenian forces will refuse to leave. There is no mechanism to guarantee the withdrawal of the Armenian forces.

In addition, Armenia can declare that it has withdrawn its troops, and the rest are Karabakh people, so we should come to an agreement with them.

One more question concerns the line of contact: if the parties remain in their current positions, then the peacekeepers stand between them. But where will they be if the Armenians withdraw their forces? In addition, after the return of Kalbajar and Lachin, the line of contact will automatically lie between these regions and Karabakh. This means that a line of contact will appear there, if not the troops, then the population. And where will the peacekeepers be?

If so, it means that the peacekeepers will occupy the entire perimeter of the former Nagorno-Karabakh region.

What are the peacekeepers doing if the Armenians violate the ceasefire regime and Azerbaijan fires them?

Another political topic: Who will the Azerbaijani authorities talk to in Karabakh? What laws will be in force there? Will the Armenians agree to this? What will be their citizenship? If the citizenship of Azerbaijan, will the Karabakh Armenians serve in the army?

What will be the border regime in Lachin?

If this is the territory of Azerbaijan, then all the laws of Karabakh are canceled, and they automatically have to live according to the new laws.

How will Karabakh be supplied with electricity and gas? If from Azerbaijan, then they will have to pay to the state budget, and at the same time pay taxes.

These are just some of the questions that automatically arise, but there are no answers yet.

But there is no doubt that the position of Russia is sharply strengthening; Russia is returning its military presence to Azerbaijan and will control the road to Nakhchivan. At the same time, the role of Turkey will be significantly lower than the previously expected level.      -02B-