US as opposed to Baku sees "progress" in settlement process between Azerbaijan, Armenia

The US announced another meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders in Brussels, which must be held in the coming days. While making this statement at a briefing, Spokesman for the US Department of State Ned Price expressed hope that progress would be achieved in the settlement process between Armenia and Azerbaijan at this meeting, organised by European Council President Charles Michel. In general, Washington’s sources think that certain advances in relations between the sides are evident, and they have been achieved only as a result of bilateral and trilateral contacts with the US, as well as thanks to the EU’s work through its diplomacy.

Moreover, Price stated that the US optimism on this issue is not excessive and that Washington will continue supporting the dialogue between Baku and Yerevan by all possible means.

The US has repeatedly announced progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations. For example, then-US State Department's Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Philip Reeker made such a statement in November 2022 in his video message recorded in Baku.

Reeker then stated that he was observing “real and bold steps made by the two countries that look to the future and want to achieve sustainable peace”, and called on Washington to support a direct dialogue between Baku and Yerevan, maintaining the momentum achieved in 2023.

"Real progress has been made. I welcome the courage and determination to achieve peace," the US diplomat proclaimed during his visit to Baku in November 2022.

Despising reality, as if not noticing the tricks and claims of Armenia, which not only delays the signing of the peace treaty but has not fulfilled the agreements reached for more than two years, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stressed "significant progress" in achieving stability in the South Caucasus at the talks in Munich with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Just then, he conveyed to President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan the proposal of European Council President Charles Michel, who expressed a desire to organise a meeting between the sides in Brussels. There is no reason to doubt the preliminary agreement between Washington and Brussels on a possible meeting between President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan during the European negotiation process.

Despite all tempting proposals, Azerbaijan firmly stands on its own position. President Aliyev made another constructive proposal in Munich to create checkpoints on the border with Armenia.

“I stated that it would be good if Armenia and Azerbaijan bilaterally set up checkpoints on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. We made such a proposal, we have made it officially today. Previously, this proposal was transmitted through unofficial channels. No position was voiced by Armenia,” President Aliyev said in an interview with Azerbaijani TV channels following the results of the trilateral meeting.

However, after listening to Baku's proposal, the Armenian prime minister did not respond to it, and only a few days later Yerevan, through Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, finally voiced its position, notifying that Armenia was against the installation of a checkpoint on the border with Azerbaijan.

“Our answer is clear. The parameters of the Lachin road have been stipulated and the documents were also signed by the Azerbaijani President. The matter rests in the document dated November 9. Conducting new negotiations on the parameters of the Lachin road, moreover, under the threat of the use of force, is unacceptable for us,” Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said at a press conference with Luxembourgish Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.

There is no doubt that the Armenian side, pulling out phrases that are beneficial to it from the points of the trilateral statement, is again trying to torpedo negotiations with Baku, despite assurances of readiness to restore all regional routes at any time.

However, it is time for Yerevan to understand that over and over again its political tricks, mainly on European negotiation platforms, are futile.

Yerevan should remember that Azerbaijan is perceived in regional and world politics as an independent and sovereign country, therefore, no country can tell Baku how to act on its territory.

Baku should not even inform capitulated Armenia, which has no right to set any conditions for victorious Azerbaijan.

The Armenian minister’s statement is nothing more than interference in the internal affairs of other country, that is, Azerbaijan.

Formally recognising Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, Yerevan does not stop trumpeting the whole world about the so-called "humanitarian blockade of Karabakh", and for some reason responds negatively to Baku's proposal to establish a checkpoint. This testifies again to Yerevan’s destructive policy.

This means that Armenia will continue torpedoing the negotiation process and the possibility of concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. That is why, the premature optimism of the US politicians and diplomats, who ignore the realities of the region, is paradoxical.