khosq.com

This RFL/RE article explains how Moscow has blocked Armenian attempts to restore the railway link to Turkey, intent on frustrating any rapprochement between Yerevan and Ankara. That would appear to contradict Eduard Nalbandian’s continued insistence that talks with Turkey continue favourably.

Western officials are now saying that Armenia may consider returning ‘five of the seven’ Azerbaijani provinces it currently occupies around Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan, to secure a breakthrough in relations with Turkey, because of the regional isolation it has found itself in. RFL/RE points out that Armenia can only turn to Georgia in its quest for gas as it lacks a border with Russia and remains on non-trading terms with both Azerbaijan and Turkey. I would say it does however seem that opening the Iranian gas supply has solved that problem.

Meanwhile RFL/RE writes; Russia is actively seeking to re-establish control over the region. Moscow is said to be intent on frustrating any rapprochement between Yerevan and Ankara, and has blocked Armenian attempts to restore a key railway link to Turkey that is owned by a Russian company.

At the same time, Russia is putting pressure on Baku and has offered to buy all of Azerbaijan's gas and oil exports at world prices – presumably to gain a hold on that gas supply to Georgia?

RFE/RL is one of the most objective Armenian news organisations, but I tend to disagree with their position regarding the Turkish issue. The Armenian regime would of course like to use this association between Karabakh and Turkey as an excuse, but I have written many times that Armenia has long been moving determinedly ahead with capitulating on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, months before the Georgian conflict had any effect on the situation.

I have also written many times that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem must be resolved. But the peoples of Armenia, and more importantly of Karabakh, will not believe that Armenia will get no ‘compensation’ for this major capitulation, and for that reason the resolution the Sargsyan regime is trying to push through will not be tolerated. The secret Sargsyan negotiations to resolve the Karabakh issue, in association with the international community, must stop; the people have every right to know the details.

The seriousness of the Karabakh issue has eventually reached the attention of the peoples of Armenia and Karabakh, and they are quite rightly voicing their opposition. And Nalbandian has dashed off to the UK, no doubt again looking for British support to help Sargsyan’s illegitimate regime through what has already become a very unsavoury affair.

See my khosq article: The Armenia Crisis - British Made?