"Brussels understands that Russia's supervision over Baku-Yerevan talks will not lead to peace"
Caliber.Az interview with German expert

INTERVIEWS  18 October 2022 - 16:31

Caliber.Az presents an interview with Stefan Meister, head of Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia studies at the German Foreign Policy Association.

- How can you explain the activity of the EU on the Armenian-Azerbaijani track? What is the real aim of the EU - to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict or to push Russia out of the process?

- Of course, solely to help resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. And the EU is very careful in its involvement in the process so as not to provoke Russia. At the same time, Brussels understands that negotiations on the settlement of relations between the two countries, which are overseen by Russia, will not lead to peace. That is why if we want peace and stability in the South Caucasus we need internationalisation, not regionalisation of negotiations. And that is exactly what the EU is trying to do.

- Just the other day, Armenians destroyed tombstones on Azerbaijani graves, but Europe has not reacted in any way to this act of vandalism. However, the European Parliament is only looking for an excuse to criticize Azerbaijan. What do you think it has to do with and is there a religious aspect to it?

- I think both sides disrespect each other's cultural heritage. This is a fundamental problem due to the lack of international control by UNESCO. This has had a full impact on the cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides. There is a need to better protect the cultural heritage of both countries, not to use this heritage as an instrument of influence, much less to allow it to be destroyed.

- Is there a double standard in EU policy regarding the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement?

- In my opinion, the problem is that there is no common European position on the conflict. Some countries are very interested in Azerbaijani energy, and therefore close their eyes to some issues. Others have the Armenian factor, an important electorate, which means that politicians in such countries tend to support Armenia more. But personally, I think that our support should be to the integrity of states, human rights, and the peaceful resolution of the conflict, rather than provoking war. In addition, I must note that double standards can also be seen in the policies of both conflicting sides.

- How is Germany coping without Russian gas, can it survive the winter?

- Of course, it can. It will certainly be more expensive. Our standard of living is going down, but in 12-14 months the cost of gas (without Russian gas) will have adjusted and we will have lower prices. There will be a kind of deindustrialisation of Germany with its energy-intensive industry, but at the same time, we hope to transition quickly to green energy and renewables. Germany has missed some transformations and now has to learn and adapt to higher prices as a matter of urgency. But it's still a rich country that can cope.

- What is Germany's position on the Ukrainian issue?

- The territorial integrity of Ukraine has to be restored. Russia will not be able to win this war and Germany will help Ukraine to integrate into the EU in the future. There is now a fundamental shift in our policy towards Russia, and even if Germany sometimes hesitates, it has been and will remain one of the key supporters of Ukraine in the future.

- How do you think events in Ukraine will further develop?

- Both a quick defeat for Russia and a sluggish military action over a long period of time are possible. Much, however, depends on Western support and arms supplies. At the same time, we understand that if Ukraine loses, we (the Baltic States and Poland) will be next. Therefore, the more brutally Putin behaves in Ukraine, the more serious will be the support from Germany and the rest of Europe.

Caliber.Az