'Both Pashinyan and Aliyev are stuck between the West and Moscow'

In a meeting held on May 25 in Moscow, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, accompanied by Russian President Vladimir Putin, convened under the Forum of the Eurasian Economic Union. However, contrary to expectations, no documents were signed during the meeting, and the leaders refrained from making traditional press statements. Prior to the meeting, a dispute arose between the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan regarding the "Zangezur corridor," which is outlined in a document as a road passing through Armenia's Sunik region based on the trilateral agreement. Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan viewed Azerbaijan President Aliyev's mention of the corridor as "territorial claims," while Aliyev clarified that it pertains to transportation routes and does not imply any territorial ambitions.

Pashinyan also accused Azerbaijan of illegally closing the Lachin corridor, to which Aliyev responded that a checkpoint had been established at the state border, and the road remained unblocked.

Deputy Rasim Musabayov commented to the Turan that the meeting yielded no results, as no statements were made and no texts were agreed upon. The only outcome mentioned was the plan for deputy prime ministers to convene in a week to discuss a potential agreement on the railway. However, Musabayov expressed skepticism given the lack of progress thus far.

A future meeting is scheduled for June 1 in Chisinau, where the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia will gather alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholts, and Council of Europe head Charles Michel. This meeting will take place within the context of the second summit of the European political community.

Azer Gasimli, the head of the Institute of Political Management, did not have high expectations for the meeting, stating that he anticipated the signing of a one-page document committing to adhere to the November 10 statement, similar to the agreement reached in Sochi two years ago. However, no such document was signed. Gasimli attributed the lack of progress to the competing influences of the West and Moscow on both Pashinyan and Aliyev, who find themselves caught between these two sides. In an interview with Radio Azadlig, he suggested that no significant breakthrough could be expected as long as Russia maintains a military presence in both countries.

According to Gasimli, the exchange between the leaders carries significance, indicating a lack of mutual understanding. He interpreted Pashinyan's actions as indirectly expressing Armenia's dissatisfaction with Russia, questioning why Azerbaijan, a non-member of the Eurasian Union, participated in the meeting while Russia did not support Armenia. Gasimli emphasized that Azerbaijan considers Karabakh within its territorial integrity and perceives any external involvement as interference in its internal affairs. Armenia, while recognizing Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory, cannot overlook the need to protect the rights and security of Armenians residing there. This situation poses significant challenges for the Armenian government and may lead to internal problems. Gasimli concluded that Russia capitalizes on this situation.

Over the past years, Azerbaijan and Armenia have engaged in periodic peace negotiations with the mediation of both Russia and the European Union (EU).