Even Azeri political scientists and commentators have no doubts that Aliyev’s recent sensational statement on “the Parisian principles” aims at undermining the confidence to the Armenian President. E.g. “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” Russian newspaper Azeri correspondent writes, “being aware of the pre-electoral passion in Armenia and the situation of possible impeachment of President Kocharian, Heydar Aliyev just decided to pour oil on the flames.” The Azeri commentator’s conviction is that official Baku resorted to such a move hoping that making “the compromising materials” public “will negatively tell on Robert Kocharian’s pre-electoral rating.” Just so elementarily. Aliyev was simply bored that the mediators constantly call him “an inconvenient partner” not able of realizing the undertaken obligations. Having stated about the alleged agreement on exchange of the Lachin corridor for the Meghri one, the Azeri leader played a dirty trick upon Robert Kocharian. Counting to give a trump card to the Armenian opposition in the struggle against the President, Aliyev supposed his trick to destabilize the situation in Yerevan. Under the conditions of domestic instability it would be more difficult for Kocharian to be responsible for the realization of the decisions coordinated with the Minsk Group co-chairs, which would result in losing the mediators’ trust.
Let us note it is not the first case when Baku pours out propagandistic information counting to discredit Robert Kocharian in the opinion of compatriots. June 6 making reference to diplomatic sources in the Council of Europe Azeri mass media spread information that in the course of Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian’s recent visit to Strasbourg an agreement had allegedly been reached on surrendering four regions of the southern part of lower Karabakh to Azerbaijan by the Armenian forces. Apparently, this is part of the same story…
To Armenian opposition’s credit be it noted that Aliyev’s false report did not become a topic of very active speculations. It is much too obvious that Aliyev stacked the deck before showing his cards. The patience played by Azeri head is beneficial to him. Nevertheless Aliyev leaves a trump card for his rival. He notes “demanding the consent to the corridor in Lachin, the Armenian party refuses to let Azerbaijan have sovereignty over the corridor in Meghri”. It should be noted this version does not contradict the principles stated by the Armenian party before. The official Yerevan and official Stepanakert realize the importance of the existence of communications between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan and consider the reactivation of the railway communication through Meghri’s territory quite possible. At that, the settlement of that issue has no concern with the Karabakh conflict settlement process – the Armenian party is ready to remove barrier as soon as Azerbaijan guarantees importation of Armenian loads through its territory without difficulties.
Before Aliyev’s proclamation of his version of “the Paris principles”, there were no grounds to think the possibility of Armenia’s transfer of “the Meghri corridor” to the control of Azerbaijan could be counted on seriously in Baku, especially in Moscow, Washington and Paris. And nevertheless Aliyev claims the Armenian party took up realization of the described scenario but did not fulfill its promise. If we decide to believe the frankness of Aliyev’s evaluations of the causes of the failure of the agreements reached in Paris and Key West then the following question arises – Why did Baku deny the fact of the existence of “the Paris principles” all the time, whereas the official Yerevan constantly confirmed its readiness to be guided by them? Why the three mediators and other diplomats of the Minsk group co-chair countries have not made secret of the fact that their approaches are met with understanding in Yerevan? At that, every time arriving in Baku, they have expressed sorrows regarding the deviation from the agreements reached in Paris. Doesn’t all that mean that Aliyev’s “revelation” of the content of the “Paris principles” is a farce aiming at misleading people in both Armenia and Azerbaijan?
Another detail seemingly remained unnoticed should be added to that. Aliyev began to get ready to the proclamation of his version of “the Paris principles” already in spring. May 21 the Baku media spread the report about the violation of the key non-disclosure agreement regarding the talks by Armenia. Robert Kocharian allegedly deliberately ensured the leak on the forthcoming meeting of the presidents of the two countries, the information on which allegedly was decided not to be made public. After such accusation, Aliyev ensured his moral right to violate the non-disclosure agreement regarding the content of the “Paris principles”. At least he thinks so. And what do mediators think? They will have an opportunity to respond to Aliyev’s revelation already in a day or two. As it is known, the separate meetings of the Minsk group co-chairs with the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place in Istanbul and Tallinn this week. France has already taken its attitude to Aliyev’s activities – the French foreign minister, through his press secretary, has stated he is “surprised with the fact that Aliyev disclosed some details of the Paris talks”. The official Paris considers that “details of the talks must be confidential until the parties come to agreement”. So, not well thought out step of Aliyev apparently has resulted in converse effect – the Azeri president has again made an impression of unreliable partner on the mediators. What can be spoken about with such a person?
