The frozen Karabakh conflict is nearing its melting point, said Wayne Merry, Senior Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council.

In his interview with Azerbaijani Turan news agency, Merry said there are warning signs of renewed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

According to him, resumption of the conflict is inevitable. He said the problem is there is no military balance but rather an asymmetry between Armenian defensive advantages and Azerbaijani military buildup.

The political analyst considers that new war will be more destructive than the first one. The physical parameters of a new conflict would extend beyond Karabakh.

Asked about the position of U.S. and Russia, Merry said neither of the states will openly support any of the conflicting parties. Only Russia has potential for direct pressure on Baku and Yerevan, he said adding that Moscow and Washington will seek through political means to bring a conflict to a rapid end.

The Azerbaijani agency says that Washington is concerned over possible war in the South Caucasus. Next week, Washington DC-based Kennan Institute will hold a panel debate to seek an answer on question “How dangerous is the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and what can be done to avoid another open conflict?”