The only lever for Azerbaijan's affecting by Russia is Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Deputy Director of the Caucasus Institute, Sergey Minasyan, said at today's press-conference.
He also added that official Moscow is interested in preservation of the status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Kremlin understand everything very well, as if Azerbaijan gets Karabakh, it will break off ties with Russia and get closer with the West. As a result, Russia will face the peril of losing one of its largest trading partners in the South Caucasus.
As for Armenia, Russia will lose its trust by official Yerevan and every kind of boost to cooperation with Russia, and this likewise will harm the interests of Russia, the expert said.
"In addition, settlement of the conflict in favor of any party to the conflict may have unpredictable results, which will contribute to the destabilization of the situation in the region. So, the most optimal and proven option for Moscow is the preservation of such a course of activities, which enables to apply pressure sometimes on Baku, sometimes on Yerevan," - Minasyan said.
He also thinks that Azerbaijan's joining the Eurasian Economic Union cannot guarantee this country returning of Nagornyy Karabakh. The expert recalled that earlier Baku tries to use such maneuver, but failed.