YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: We received reliable information from a source close to the Russian peacekeepers [in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] that the tripartite talks regarding [the reopening of] the [Lachin] road—in which the Russian peacekeepers, representatives of the authorities of Azerbaijan and Artsakh participated—have failed.

The Russians, as they were very interested in finding a solution, urged the Armenian side to compromise, and our side proposed to the Azerbaijani side: “You [re]open the road and restore the [natural] gas supply [to Artsakh], we allow that a small [Azerbaijani] group, accompanied by us, to visit the Kashen and Drombon mines [of Artsakh] ‘to conduct monitoring.’"

After deliberating for more than a day, Azerbaijan refused, saying that it should be done in the reverse order: “First, you allow us to go to the mines to conduct monitoring, then we will [re]open the road and restore the [natural] gas supply.”

Naturally, the Armenian side refused, and they did not agree to our proposal, and the talks reached a dead end.

With this, the Azerbaijanis have admitted that they are not interested in the mines, but they are carrying out the task of taking Artsakh.

Our source, who participated in the talks on the Russian side, noted that this means that the [Azerbaijani] blockade [of Artsakh] will not end soon, and Artsakh should prepare for a long-lasting confrontation.