International community should help 'Aliyev get out of deadlock': expert

Azerbaijan has found itself in a deadlock over the Karabakh conflict, and the international community's efforts should be aimed at helping Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev get over that deadlock, the director of the Noravank Scientific-Education Foundation, Gagik Harutyunyan, has said.

"The international community's efforts should be aimed at pulling Mr Aliyev out of that situation and creating a humanitarian corridor so that he will be able bit withdraw from his positions a little without losing his face, his dignity," Harutyunyan said at a press conference today.

"Those positions appear not to ensure any perspective for the peaceful settlement [of the conflict]" he added.

Speaking about the Commemorative Declaration of OSCE Summit in Astana, Harutyunyan expressed concerns over the fact that the word "Karabakh" is missing from the document.

"To some extent, this testifies to the fact that something has changed in OSCE's positions over the issue," said he.

But overall, according to him, the main attitude towards the conflict has changed for the better. This is accounted for by two factors: Russia's increased role in the OSCE format and Armenia's strong position and determination.

Further, Harutyunyan referred to the speech Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan delivered at the OSCE Summit in Astana, saying it was something to welcome.

"For several times now Nakhichevan has been referred to as a good argument. Nakhichevan is a typical example of Azerbaijani-Turkish policy. All the necessary accentuations were made [in the speech]," said he, adding that Sargsyan's speech was addressed also to Armenians so that they would understand that the point is not the Karabakh issue of returning of territories in general, but rather the existence of Armenia.

"This is a message so that we can clearly see the situation," Harutyunyan explained.

Speaking about the resumption of the war, he said that there is always a risk that a fresh war can be unleashed.

"When the sides stand 50 meters far [from each other], the risk of the resumption of the war exists always," said Harutyunyan.