Azerbaijan will continue to fire, on Ankara’s direct instructions

“The fact that the Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting did take place is a step forward. Azerbaijan has repeatedly tried to change the OSCE Minsk Group negotiating format, but it failed to do it,” political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazarian said at a meeting with reporters today, when commenting on the summit of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents held in Vienna yesterday.

He considered the two presidents’ meeting a positive fact, noting at the same time that it is hard to tell whether things have started moving or not.

In the political scientist’s words, the main meaning of the Vienna meeting is that the talks shall receive a fresh impetus.

“The actions of the Azerbaijani authorities show that they are not ready for a peaceful settlement through negotiations as they frequently carry out provocations by firing at civilian population and violating the ceasefire,” Melik-Shahnazarain said.

According to his forecast, the Azerbaijani side will continue its policy of provocations.

“Azerbaijan will continue to fire in our direction, on the direct instructions of Ankara,’ he said.