The deployment of Turkish peacekeeping forces in Azerbaijan is a decision of Baku, not Moscow. With deploying Turkish peacekeeping forces in Karabakh, Azerbaijan tries to balance the influence of Russia in the region- said Paul Goble, American analyst on Eurasia affairs.
Paul Goble served as special adviser on Soviet nationality issues and Baltic affairs to the Secretary of State of the United States.
American journalist Joanne Lisosky conducted an interview with Paul Goble regarding the current situation around Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the role of the regional powers in this conflict.
Goble in his interview talked about the various important issues - the power of Turkey in the world stage, the deployment of Turkish peacekeeping forces in Azerbaijan, the role of Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, the future activity of the United States in the post-soviet region under Biden administration, the rehabilitation of the destructed areas of Karabakh, and the negotiations on the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in next decade.
According to Goble, the deployment of Turkish peacekeeping forces in Azerbaijan was not agreed between Ankara and Moscow, it was a decision of the government of Azerbaijan.
"The deployment of Turkish peacekeeping forces in Azerbaijan is a decision of Baku, not Moscow. With deploying Turkish peacekeeping forces in Karabakh, Azerbaijan tries to balance the influence of Russia in the region" - he said.
"If tomorrow or later day Baku decides that it wants Turkish military base somewhere in its territory, Azerbaijan has sovereign right to do that," he added.
Touching upon the trilateral declaration signed on 10 November by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia on the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities in Karabakh, Goble noted that the November declaration is not full-fledged agreement.
"Since November I have been saying that the trilateral declaration is not an agreement. Agreement should consist of more and more pages and specify contentions between two sides,' he said.
Besides, Goble considered that Russia is a country benefitting from the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"There is a simple reason why there has not been a settlement over the Karabakh dispute for thirty years. Simple reason is that one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group has no interest in the settlement. Because one member of the group supposes seeking peace solution does not mean you are. Some countries benefit from that tension and conflict," he stressed.
"Peace settlement in the South Caucasus is not something Russia wants. Let's imagine if tomorrow there is agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan to recognize each other, if the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan becomes a normal international border, if Armenia and Azerbaijan agree to east-west transportation, the biggest loser will be Russia," he added.
Furthermore, American expert stressed that the number of conversations between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be held on various levels. According to him, the talks on Karabakh dispute should be stopped on the only presidential level, and it need to be held on the ministerial, ambassadorial, business levels.
Goble also emphasized that there are no windows for the negotiations on the peace deal over Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict .
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