During her visit to the South Caucasus, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be executing President Barack Obama’s orders concerning each state of the region. In the case of Armenia and Azerbaijan, it first of has to do with Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian expert Anatoly Tsyganok told NEWS.am.

According to him, both Russia and the United States want the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be resolved as soon as possible. In this context, Clinton will try to “push through” the Madrid principles in talking to the sides. “Of course, it will be a bit difficult, as neither the Armenian side nor Azerbaijan accepts the principles,” the expert said. Washington and Moscow will not compete for influence over the region, as the five-day Georgian-Russian war changed the situation in the South Caucasus, Tsyganok said.

The U.S.is unlikely to deploy its military bases in Azerbaijan to conduct surveillance of Iran. “The U.S. is unlikely to make such a step today, as leaving Iraq and Afghanistan ‘with credit’ is Washington’s priority now. However, in the case of Afghanistan the U.S. is unlikely to succeed,” he said.

Tsyganov holds the opinion that Hillary Clinton will try to support Armenia to press Turkey, as Washington’s pressure on Ankara has lately seriously weakened. “I do not rule out Clinton will try to press Turkey for reopening the Armenian-Turkish border,” the expert said. On the other hand, he does not rule out pressure on Armenia in connection with the country’s cooperation with Iran. “Washington may demand that Yerevan to ‘slow down’ its relations with Iran,” Tsyganok said.

The U.S. Secretary of State is to be on a visit to Armenia on July 4-5.