Sochi meeting an attempt by Moscow to “save face” – professor Gobronidze

The recent meeting in the Black Sea City of Sochi between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders with the presence of Russian president Vladimir Putin over disputed Nagorno Karabakh was an attempt by Moscow to “save its face” on the backdrop of its invasion of Ukraine, professor in European University, Giorgi Gobronidze told Front News on Tuesday. 

The professor said that by the meeting Russia had tried to show that it still maintained power in the region,while its positions had been “definitely weekend” in the Central Asian and the South Caucasus regions amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. 

He noted that as the US was involved in the easing of tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia during Baku’s initial attacks, which was followed by the Prague meeting, the Sochi meeting carried importance for Russia to meet both parties. 

Gobronidze said that Russia still played a role for Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

“Russia still remains a declared strategic partner and ally of Armenia, and Azerbaijan has signed an alliance memorandum with Russia. Moscow formally remains an allied state for both of them. Thus, it was an opportunity for them to meet and discuss important issues”, said Gobronidze. 

 

He said that Tbilisi’s possible role to mediate between the two neighborly countries depended on several factors. 

“It is important for Tbilisi not to wait for someone to weaken, but to have a correct neighborhood policy designed for long-term results, both with Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this case, we will be able to be not just a place of negotiation for them, but to form a state whose interest will be considered. At this stage, there is no reason to say that Tbilisi was excluded from some process, because it was not a participant in any process,” Gobronidze said.

After the meeting held in Sochi, the joint statement of the leaders of the three countries said that the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the region was necessary to stabilize the situation.