BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. The Brussels agreements are the result of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's successful diplomatic strategy, Igor Korotchenko, a political analyst and editor-in-chief of the Russian National Defense magazine, told Trend.
Korotchenko made the remark commenting on the agreements reached following the meeting in Brussels between President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with the mediation and participation of President of the Council of the European Union (EU) Charles Michel.
"Despite Yerevan's non-constructive approach to the implementation of the trilateral statement [between the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and the Armenian prime minister following the 2020 second Karabakh war], and the subsequent Moscow and Sochi agreements, thanks to the efforts of Azerbaijani diplomacy, Pashinyan was directed to a constructive course,” the analyst said.
“I evaluate the agreement to work on a full-scale peace treaty and the creation of a delimitation commission state border very positively and consider this as the success of Azerbaijani diplomacy,” he noted. “Armenia did everything, including armed provocations of Armenian separatists in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh economic region, to disrupt the peace process and the fulfillment of Armenia’s obligations [within the trilateral statement and consequent agreements].”
“These provocations were resolutely and firmly suppressed, which also influenced Pashinyan's readiness to take a more constructive position,” Korotchenko added.
“Despite all the efforts of the Armenian diaspora in the US and France, aimed at putting any pressure on Azerbaijan and supporting Armenia, all these attempts failed. Peace, stability, and acceptance of the existing realities are a chance for Armenia,” the analyst said.
According to him, Pashinyan and his subordinates understand that they won’t be able to drag out the implementation of the previous statement and agreements.
“The peace treaty should clearly state that Armenia recognizes Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan," he said.
Korotchenko stressed that there is still a lot of work to be done.
"The main unresolved issue today is the presence of illegal Armenian armed formations in Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan. As long as the formations, in fact militants, remain there, we’ll always expect various armed provocations, terrorist attacks, and continued shelling of Azerbaijani positions," the analyst added.
Besides, according to him, the basis for the agreements reached was previously laid by the basic documents - the trilateral statement, the Moscow and Sochi agreements.
"Russia has always supported and will continue to support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. In this regard, the Declaration on Allied Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia is also the foundation, based on which Azerbaijan can advance the diplomatic agenda in the negotiation process with Armenia, respectively,” Korotchenko noted.
“Armenia now understands that Azerbaijan will be guided by this basic document [Declaration on Allied Cooperation]. The paragraphs of the document envision support of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, suppression of various separatist acts and attempts to violate the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and in this regard, Russia will fulfill all its obligations," he concluded.