No declaration will be signed at the Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting in Sochi, March 5. However, if the sides reach an agreement on ceasefire on the line of contact, it can be considered an achievement, Gagik Harutyunyan, Director of the Noravank analytical center, told journalists March 3. He pointed out that at their Astana meeting the sides decided to settle the issue of withdrawing snipers from the line of contact.

Two of the South Caucasus states, Armenia and Georgia, stated that conflicts must be settled peacefully. It is the Azeri leader that is constantly making warlike statements, the expert said. Tension will ease if Ilham Aliyev changes his position.

As to the argument that nothing will actually change even if the Azeri leader signs a document prohibiting any violations on the line of contact, the expert said: “I do not share this opinion. Aliyev is Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani armed forces, and all violations on the line of contact are ordered by the supreme command rather than by border guards.”

Armenian News-NEWS.am reminds readers that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is to go on a working visit to Sochi March 5. An Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process is to be held there.