Kommersant: Moscow is trying to improve the relationships between the two sides and implement “Lavrov’s scheme”, but success is not guaranteed

Moscow is trying to resolve the acute humanitarian crisis
facing Artsakh, Kommersant writes.

The article states that Russian Foreign Ministry’s Special
Representative on Normalization of Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Igor Khovaev is dealing with the issue. Khovaev was in Armenia last week;
yesterday, he arrived in Baku. 

“There is no guarantee that the mission will be a success.
The relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are deteriorating day by day and
after every statement made,” reads Vladimir Solovyov’s article.

Besides his meetings with Secretary of the RA State Council
Armen Grigoryan and Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan, the
Russian diplomat also met with Artsakh Foreign Minister Sergey Ghazaryan.

“It has been about a month since the 400 tons of
humanitarian aid from Armenia got stranded near the Lachin corridor; the
humanitarian convoys sent from France recently joined them. The aid convoys
sent by Azerbaijan’s Red Crescent are stuck on the road from Akna to
Stepanakert. In the first case, it is the Azerbaijani border guards who do not
allow the convoys to enter Artsakh. In the second case, it is the Armenian
activists,” reads the article. 

It is noted that in light of this, Nagorno-Karabakh is still
facing acute shortages of food, fuel, medical supplies and essential goods.
This attests to the difference that the sides have in their approaches to the
settlement of the issue.

According to Kommersant’s sources in the Russian state
agencies, it is crucially important for Armenia and for the people of Artsakh
that supplies be provided through the Lachin corridor.

“It is important that people in Artsakh live separately from
Azerbaijan. However, Baku wants to use the intra-Azerbaijani route, which will
facilitate integration and will deprive Stepanakert of the opportunity to be
self-sufficient. In this case, Stepanakert will be dependent only on
Azerbaijan,” the source said.

According to him, Igor Khovaev’s mission is an attempt to
tackle the humanitarian crisis so that food and medicine supplies can be
restored.

Russia is trying to persuade Armenia to accept the Lavrov
scheme, which suggests that first, the Aghdam road will be opened, and a day
later, the Lachin corridor will start to operate.