The Azerbaijani propaganda machine successfully appropriates the main Armenian theses and tries to apply them. Baku talks about ethnic cleansing, usurpation of cultural heritage, environmental damages, counts those who moved from Armenia to Azerbaijan and talks about their compensation. Armenian analytical circles do not consider Baku's mirror tactics to be new, they believe that Armenian steps in the legal domain create really uncomfortable situations for Baku, forcing it to adopt the policy of mirror accusations.
Azerbaijan is not afraid of the growing international pressure on Azerbaijan due to the blockade of Artsakh, but is nervous. Candidate of historical sciences, Azerbaijani scholar Tatev Hayrapetyan assumes from the study of the Azerbaijani media domain that Azerbaijan has no intentions to become aware yet.
"Actually, the international pressure is increasing: resolutions, various calls, etc., they cannot help but worry Baku. I would say that they are annoying, because in the background of all that, the Artsakh issue seems to be receiving international coverage again, coming to the international arena again. And Azerbaijan had no such desire. The goal was that they would close for a few days, after that they would reach concessions and finally establish their order and rule in Artsakh, which they could not achieve. Instead, everyone is talking about Azerbaijan's intentions of ethnic cleansing, Aliyev himself admitted it, noting that the way is open for all those who want to leave Artsakh, and if used intelligently, it clearly shows Azerbaijan's intentions."
At this moment, Azerbaijan itself has found itself in a dead end. Analysts believe that the priority is the policy of "saving face", having a certain result to present to the public. According to Alexander Iskandaryan, head of the Caucasus Institute, it is likely that the negotiations are now about getting something.
"This has been going on for about 1.5 months. I am speaking my opinion, of course I may be wrong, that Azerbaijan has found itself in a situation from which it is difficult for it to find a way out. It is clear that to simply open the road and say sorry, we were wrong. Azerbaijan cannot say that the "environmentalists" are already cold and tired and will leave. the pressure exerted on Azerbaijan is still not big enough for Azerbaijan to give up its positions sharply. Baku is convinced that this political-diplomatic pressure will not turn into other sanctions. Therefore, now Azerbaijan is just trading."
Analysts are convinced that the primary thing that Azerbaijan wants to achieve is the establishment of a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor and the control of transported goods, which, of course, the Armenian side cannot agree to. By the way, this desire of Azerbaijan contradicts the tripartite statement of November 9, which does not provide for the installation of a checkpoint.
According to analysts, this is the direct way to depopulation of Artsakh.
Even under these conditions, the Azerbaijani media also talk about peace, the expert on Azerbaijan issues confirms, but the Armenian and Azerbaijani perceptions of the concept are different.
"There is no Armenian in the "peace" offered by Azerbaijan, and they are also talking about peace. In other words, they imagine peace without Armenians both in Artsakh and in RA. They even talk about it. There are deputies who clearly say that soon the Armenians will leave Artsakh, and then we will return quietly from Armenia, as they define "their historical lands". This logic works. And what do we have? They tell us to adapt, they are solving the issue by military means. This is a very harmful speech in all respects. It makes not only Artsakh, but also RA very vulnerable to possible aggressions. It's really problematic."
Azerbaijan, although entangled in its theses, nevertheless tries to create various problems for Armenia. Yerevan often appears as a defendant. The same problem is also in the legal field, where Azerbaijan has adopted the policy of mirror accusations, even in the context of ethnic cleansing. Armenia and Azerbaijan submitted applications against each other to the UN Court of Justice.
"They always carry that mirror policy and it is not new. I think that this field is one of the few fields where we really do a great job and create many problems for Azerbaijan. But here comes the second question. international law is useful and works if it becomes part of the policy pursued by the state. If you filed a lawsuit against Azerbaijan, that Azerbaijan is a racist state, propagating hatred against Armenians, then you cannot call on the Armenians living in Artsakh to adapt, because as they say, the issue was resolved by military means. The problem is that the work is being done, but the logic is not followed and this is harming Armenia."
Not in the short term, let's say, to close or open the Lachin Corridor, but in the long term, to solve more global problems, according to analysts, it is necessary, on the one hand, to correctly understand Azerbaijan's tactics and strategy, and on the other hand, to develop one's own, advancing it systematically and consistently.
