Expert: New phase starts in Karabakh conflict settlement process

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, ARMENPRESS: New phase in the Karabakh conflict settlement process starts after the OSCE Summit in Astana, director of the “Noravank” scientific-educational foundation Gagik Harutyunyan said today at the meeting with reporters, adding that it is agreed with the circumstance that the negotiating parties are going to reshuffling of positions.

“The mostly discussed issue in respect of the NK conflict is whether war will resume or not. No one can give clear answer to the question but one thing is clear – this year the possibility of war has decreased as compared with the previous one,” Gagik Harutyunyan noted, adding that in this phase Armenia is in more privileged condition than Azerbaijan.

“The world understood that there are more important values than oil and gas,” the speaker pointed out, emphasizing that this perception is agreed with the efforts of the Armenian diplomacy. He also said in the current round it is necessary to follow the practical implementation of the Madrid principles. “Some edges must be found between the parties – be it withdrawal of snipers or exchange of prisoners,” Gagik Harutyunyan said.

Speaking about diplomatic success the speaker singled out the two: first the signing of the Armenian-Russian contracts in August 2010 connected with the prolongation of deployment of Russian military bases in Gyumri as well as the statements voiced at the OSCE Summit in Astana which were Armenian-oriented.