WASHINGTON. – Nagorno-Karabakh conflict cannot be called frozen, as the situation in the zone is close to a new war, senior associate in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment Thomas de Waal said at a Helsinki Commission’s briefing on the South Caucasus.

According to him, the balance between the powers has significantly changed. Azerbaijani expenses on army exceed Armenia’s whole budget, said Thomas de Waal.

Another shortage in the negotiation process is the exclusion of representatives of Armenian and Azerbaijani societies.

According to the expert, confusion in the settlement process is caused also by the fact that it is unclear ‘who is authorized to support peace,’ and who is responsible for the reconstruction of peace. If the sides, eventually, come to an agreement, it ‘will lead to further mistrust of the sides.’

De Waal advised the moderators of the Karabakh peace settlement to expand the issue and allow the states to act independently, Voice of America reports.