AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA….

AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA….

On the fringes of the Yalta summit, Azerbaijan’s President Haidar Aliev and Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian held their third bilateral discussion in the past three months. A fourth session is scheduled for October. For the first time, defense ministers from the two sides also met, to discuss ways to consolidate the cease-fire. On the central issue of the status of Karabakh, an Armenian region that is de jure part of Azerbaijan, no progress was publicly reported. There are good reasons to keep discussions confidential. Both presidents face domestic political attacks from nationalists who accuse them of concession and appeasement. In Baku, former President Abulfaz Elchibey warned that “the opposition will launch a civil war if a humiliating peace on Karabakh is concluded. Let Aliev, his circle and the people be warned.”