Karabakh conflict not frozen, Markedonov says

PanARMENIAN.Net - "From time to time, Yerevan has to response to Baku's growing militarism. In January, Armenian Defense Minister Mikael Harutyunyan shocked media by tough statements not peculiar to Armenian officials," said Sergei Markedonov, head of the international relations department of the institute of political and military analysis.



"The Minister stated that he leads an army which is ready to defense and attack. He warned that Azerbaijan might lose another 20% of its territories and receive extra 2 million refugees in case it wages ear," Markedonov reminded.



"The January tour of the OSCE mediators was interspersed with optimistic statements. They visited Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert. Moreover, they participated in a monitoring of the contact line. Consequently, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict can't be described as 'frozen'. There is dynamics but it's far from being positive," he said adding that the latest package proposed by the mediators is the best one they could ever develop, Politcom reports.