YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The leadership of Azerbaijan tries to create basis for Azerbaijani national consciousness by means of anti-Armenian propaganda.

Senior Analyst of Regional Studies Center David Shahnazaryan expressed such an opinion during the meeting with journalists.

As David Shahnazaryan said, this is a consistent policy adopted by Azerbaijan. If you are an Azerbaijani you must be disposed negatively toward Armenians and not only those living in Armenia, adding that this was the reason that persons with Armenian last names and European and American passports could not enter Azerbaijan.

Regarding the current phase of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, the analyst stated that the parties have never been much closer to discussions of the settlement process than this.

“For years Azerbaijan has been pushing forward a position constantly announcing that the international community must return them what they have lost in the war they themselves started. This is the reason that formulation “Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement” is seldom used in their official statements as by saying settlement they understand “return of occupied territories,” Shahnazaryan said.

According to him, negotiations process has undergone serious changes in Azerbaijani position after 2012 –extradition of Ramil Safarov and the murderer’s glorification as a hero which continues up to now.  

David Shahnazaryan also added that it is dangerous selling weapons to Azerbaijan on Russia’s part as a result of which military and political imbalance is created between the countries in Azerbaijan’s favour.