Azerbaijan obtains key heights due to ceasefire, analysts believe

As a result of hostilities in the Karabakh conflict zone, the front line has undergone insignificant changes; however, Azerbaijan has managed to take strategic heights and prove combat readiness of its troops. This was stated by Azerbaijani analysts, interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

At night of April 2, the situation in the Karabakh conflict zone sharply escalated, and the combat actions were started. Today, the parties to the conflict have declared a ceasefire. According to the OSCE Minsk Group, the parties to the conflict should immediately stop using force and return to negotiations.

The ceasefire regime captures the front line which was changed in the course of the combat actions. This opinion was expressed by Azad Isazade, an Azerbaijani military expert, an analyst of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD).

Azad Isazade has reminded the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that on April 3, Azerbaijan unilaterally announced the suspension of the combat actions. Meanwhile, on April 2 and 3, Armenia "did not agree to cease fire."

According to Azad Isazade, the combat actions "have changed the status quo in the Karabakh conflict which existed for more than 20 years."

"The Armenian side has taken the position that Azerbaijan is not able to change the existing situation at the contact line of troops. With the contemplative position of mediators, the above fact provided the advantage to the Armenian side during negotiations," Azad Isazade notes.

He also believes that the combat actions in the conflict zone have also seriously deteriorated the reputation of the OSCE Minsk Group.

According to Mekhman Aliev, the director of the news agency "Turan", during the combat actions, the front line has undergone insignificant changes. However, he drew attention to the "restrained reaction of international mediators to the situation at the front line."

Mekhman Aliev has also noted that the US and Russia are interested in developing economic relations with Azerbaijan.

The director of the news agency "Turan" expects that the international community will soon launch the process to "force the parties to peace."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.