Importance of South Caucasus for Russia requires major initiatives on  Karabakh - Sergei Markedonov

ArmInfo. In an interview with ArmInfo, Sergei Markedonov Leading Researcher at the MGIMO Institute for International Studies, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of  International Analytics, voiced the opinion that the argument that  Moscow is losing interest in the southern part of the post-Soviet  space amid the Ukraine developments is rather superficial. 

"In fact, the South Caucasus remains most important for Russia in the  context of its interests, which, I think, requires major initiatives  on Karabakh on Moscow's part," he said. 

"On May 22, we saw Brussels once again to be a venue for discussions  of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. I would like to note the fast  pace of the negotiations in Brussels - it was the third meeting over  the last six months. And all the three rounds ended in specific  agreements. The day before yesterday, Charles Michel stated that at  their first joint meeting the Border Commissions would consider all  the issues of delimitation and establishment of border stability. And  considering the opportunities for the region's socio- economic  development, restoring the communication infrastructure and preparing  a peace agreement is evidence of the EU's holistic approach to the  problems," Mr Markedonov said. 

At their meeting in Brussels, Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan,  President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the European  Union Charles Michel agreed on the need to proceed with unblocking  the transport links, on the first joint meeting of the Border  Commissions on the inter-state border in the coming days and on the  next meeting in the same format by July/August. 

Mr Markedonov explains Charles Michel's vigorous activity by the EU's  attempt to "reserve the role" of principal mediator in the peace  process, relegating Moscow to the background, though, he believes, it  was Moscow that laid the foundations for negotiations on border  demarcation and a peace agreement. And the absence of positive  assessments of Moscow's role in the statements of the president of  the European Council is a manifestation of Russia's rivalry with the  USA and EU over Karabakh. 

"In this context, a feeling of Moscow 'yielding the palm to' Brussels  in that part of Eurasia gives rise to questions. Perhaps, hopes are  being entertained that the disagreements between Armenia and  Azerbaijan will not allow the EU to accomplish its task by having a  final peace agreement signed. And such hopes could well be  justifiable. However, I think Moscow needs to take care of its own  role and, therefore, of its interests in the processes involving  Armenia and Azerbaijan. And it should do so in time," Mr Markedonov  said.