The Armenian-Azerbaijan-Russian presidential meeting led to nothing, nor could it, Director of the Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan told a press conference on June 19. Azerbaijan is not ready for concessions that would be acceptable to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Presently, Azerbaijan has a number of domestic problems, and such a step on the authorities’ part will mean their collapse,” Isakandaryan said. According to him, the countries’ leaders are not “babes unborn” and should not be expected to settle this fundamental issue within a fortnight.

As to the application of the “updated” Madrid Principles on the Karabakh conflict, the expert noted that there is not such a notion at all. “The talks about ‘updated’ Madrid Principles are a form of protest against ‘not updated’ ones. However, the Madrid Principles is not a treaty, it is just a political language for communication between two or more sides,” he said. Armenia rejected the “updated” Madrid Principles, and Azerbaijan is dissatisfied, Iskandaryan said.

The political expert appreciates the international mediators’ activities. “We should not expect some external side to resolve our problems immediately. All the mediators are interested in maintaining peace. The present approach is right: it is important to maintain peace and internationalize the peace process,” said the expert.

June 17, an Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting was held in Saint Petersburg. After the talks, Ilham Aliyev returned to Baku ahead of schedule and did not want to participate in the subsequent economic forum.