"Baku-Moscow-Ankara format aimed at stabilizing regional situation” Denisov at Caliber.Az

Caliber.Az  sat for a blitz interview with the Director of the Russian Institute of Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology, Denis Denisov.

- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the international conference "South Caucasus: Development and Cooperation" in Baku that he was satisfied with the current regional situation and stressed that an active dialogue was conducted in the region within the Baku-Moscow-Ankara format. What do you think about the future of this format?

- Of course, such formats are aimed at stabilizing the situation in the region. In fact, there cannot be another format within this triangle. Therefore, it is also positively perceived by Russia. I even think that we can expect concrete, important solutions to the problems that concern the leaders of these three countries thanks to the political will of all the involved sides.

Meanwhile, there is a slightly different practical experience – against the backdrop of such trilateral contacts for regional stability, it is necessary to involve other countries in similar projects. I mean both Armenia and Georgia, and maybe Iran. In this case, the problem of stability, the problem of resolving the crisis will simply reach a new level and will be solved easier than now.

- President Aliyev said at the same meeting with representatives of global think tanks that the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders might be held in Brussels. Are breakthrough decisions on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue expected to come out from this meeting?

- While speaking about the upcoming meeting in Brussels, one can only welcome the ongoing dialogue related to the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue. If there is progress at the meeting, this is certainly good, however, at the moment, radical, swift breakthrough is not expected. According to the sides themselves, the systematic, painstaking work is underway, rather than activity aimed at some sensational breakthrough. However, even this, in the current situation, is certainly a positive moment.

- Does the war between Russia and Ukraine somehow influence the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue?

- Surely, in the current situation, the impact of the special military operation in Ukraine and, in general, regional instability will also affect the negotiations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue. The efforts that are being made to frame all European initiatives within this negotiation track as those modelling and managing the dialogue should be treated carefully and thoroughly, as we are well aware that in the current conditions it is quite possible to see that EU representatives will use such dialogues and initiatives for their geopolitical purposes. This may not always be beneficial to Azerbaijan and Armenia, and to the participants of the negotiations personally.

However, I think that the leaders of the countries are well aware of this, such this problem will be minimized.