Hajizadeh: Russia Holds Armenia and Azerbaijan on Hook

Baku / 16.05.18 / Turan: What the foreign policy course of the new Armenian authorities will be is difficult to predict. Being the leader of the opposition party, Nikol Pashinyan criticized Russia for manipulating Armenia as a puppet in its own interests. After the April war in 2016, Pashinyan accused Russia of betraying Armenia. However, already closer to coming to power, Pashinyan changed the rhetoric, declaring the importance of close relations with Russia for Armenia, and assured that Armenia would remain in the military bloc and economic union with Russia. This was said in an interview with The Voice of America ​by the ​ex-Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia Hikmet Hajizadeh.

At the same time, the question arises: how will Armenia build relations with the West now? Earlier it was generally said that Pashinyan is under the influence of the Armenian Diaspora of France and he advocated closer rapprochement with the EU.

"Now the pro-Russian forces in Armenia are pressuring Pashinyan. Let's see if he can stand it. In fact, he is a pro-Western soul," Hajizadeh continued.

The expert does not expect any changes in the Karabakh settlement.

"I do not expect changes. Everything will remain the same. Russia's position is that the status quo, as it is, should remain so. Russia wants to keep both Azerbaijan and Armenia on the hook. This situation is beneficial to Russia. If anyone takes steps that do not suit Russia, he is immediately punished. Either Azerbaijan is used against Armenia, or Armenia is used against Azerbaijan. That's how the status quo will be preserved, because Russia wants it," Hajizadeh stressed.

He is skeptical about the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group. The OSCE Minsk Group is a senseless structure and all the keys to the Karabakh settlement are in Moscow.

The other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, France and the United States, show no interest in the Karabakh conflict. They are busy with Syria, Ukraine, and now Iran and Palestine. They are not up to Azerbaijan, Hajizadeh believes.

How should Azerbaijan act in such conditions? Answering the question, Hajizadeh said: "I would say that we are facing a different danger. Perhaps, Armenia will be democratized. However, Azerbaijan does not take any steps in this direction. And this is to our detriment.

In this case, in the eyes of the world community there will be clashes of democratic Armenia and anti-democratic Azerbaijan. Naturally, all sympathies will be on the side of Armenia. We must understand that our anti-democracy, authoritarianism is our weak point.

Broad political reforms are needed. It is necessary to release political prisoners and ensure freedom of speech. International organizations must return to Azerbaijan. If we do not do this, Armenia's positions will strengthen, and ours will weaken," Hajizadeh noted.-06D--