Experts: Russia is not interested in settling Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Russia does not want the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be resolved as it is interested in continuing its military cooperation with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, Thomas de Waal, senior associate in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment, said during a discussion of Russia's role and interests in regional conflicts on Monday.

Turan quotes de Waal as saying that Russia is losing its influence in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

He said that Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin have different positions on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem: Putin is angry with Serzh Sargsyan because of the latter's decision to strengthen relations with Georgia. The best proof of Putin's anger was Russia's late response to the release of Ramil Safarov. It was a message to Armenia.

Expert from CSIS Sergey Markedonov agreed with de Waal that Russia is not interested in peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan as it wants to have all the trumps in its hands. "In any case, status quo is better than no agreement," Markedonov said.