Washington loses influence in the South Caucasus, experts

Russia continues to supply weapons of the  Karabakh conflict sides. So, from the territory of Montenegro transport 38 planes loaded with weapons for the parties to the conflict performed flights, stated  the American expert Stephen Blank, speaking at the conference: "Security and energy issues in the South Caucasus after Ukraine", organized by the Kennan Institute in Washington.

At that time, Azerbaijan buys from Russian high-tech weaponry at  very high prices, Armenian side gets the same number of obsolete weapons, but at extremely low prices. "Thus, Azerbaijan unwittingly helps Armenia to buy weapons from Russia at low prices," said Blank.

If war starts in Karabakh, Russia may intervene directly, and it will lead to a much greater disaster than a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia is not interested in resolving the conflict,  they are interested  in freezing the Karabakh conflict, said Jeffrey Mankoff, employee of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS.)

After Ukrainian events Russia has made it clear that "if it wants it will immediately destroy the sovereignty of any of these states, the West will not help them," he added. The experts also criticized the passive role of official Washington in the South Caucasus. According to them, the passivity of the United States in the Caucasus is considered as a weakness.

" Indifference of the USA  to the South Caucasus countries in the region will be perceived as evidence of America's weakness, which leads to strengthening the position of Russia and Iran,"  said Michael Rubin, an expert of the American Enterprise Institute (American Enterprise Institute.)

In turn, the expert of the Woodrow Wilson Center Audrey Alshtad, proposed  Washington to arrange the  negotiating of the sides, and facilitate direct negotiations between the parties to the Karabakh conflict, without waiting for the efforts of other intermediaries, according to Radio "Liberty". -02D-