Statement by Azerbaijani FM is attempt to shift responsibility onto Russia – Bogdan Bezpalko

Speaking with Alpha News, Russian political scientist Bogdan Bezpalko commented on the statement by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov that the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from the region allegedly gave additional impetus to the peace process between Yerevan and Baku.

“In fact, this is traditional for politicians in the Caucasus, since they seek to avoid admitting their own mistakes. Of course, Russian peacekeepers gave the Armenian population the opportunity to feel more or less calm for several years — at least in the sense that they were not subjected to genocide. In any case, the peacekeepers fulfilled their task and even suffered losses, and their withdrawal was prompted by the fact that their presence had become meaningless, especially in light of the Armenian leadership’s policies,” Bezpalko emphasized.

According to the expert, this is an attempt to shift responsibility onto Russia.

“Bayramov is simply shifting responsibility—suggesting that neither side is at fault, but rather that Russia is to blame. ‘It’s not our fault that we won by slaughtering part of the population; it’s not your fault that you lost; it’s Russia’s fault. Let’s just admit that, and things will be better for both sides.’ It’s a bit odd to ‘wave fists’ now, considering that the peacekeepers were withdrawn several years ago,” Bezpalko noted.