The Karabakh Conflict in the Context of Political Processes in Armenia and Azerbaijan - 2018: Page 7 of 11

Let's consider the following: even the factor of democratization in Armenia is perceived from the perspective of its chances for a victory in the conflict with Azerbaijan. It is not about a settlement based on compromise that addresses the interests of all the parties: the only reason for the victory is because “That’s when the West will support us”. And that’s where Sergey is right: if we proceed from realpolitik, we so very peripheral and of the slightest importance. They are rather interested in two points – geopolitics and energy. And democracy, as well as human rights, only follow these realias.

Laura Baghdasaryan –Yes, in Armenia there was and there still is a very serious social demand for government transparency, efficient use of not very generous human and other resources, and social justice. All these requirements were distinctly exposed after April 2016, when, as Manvel Sargsyan has accurately described, the myth that any mass protests are undermining stability in Armenia, which in turn is fraught with security threats for both Armenia and Karabakh was destroyed. Whereas Azerbaijan with its oil and gas resources (as Arif Yunusov has already suggested once) and even with its presumptuous authorities, who have appropriated a great deal of capital, still has enough money for the army and a forceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict. We have the same in Russia, a country rich in human and natural resources, but corruption and other non-democratic phenomena do not affect the country's ability to guarantee the security of the country and also promote its interests as a state on the world map.

There is an approach to ensuring security by strengthening only the military component (Azerbaijan, Russia), and there is another approach to the efficient use of one’s own resources, including military and political ones (in fact, the revolution in Armenia mainly pursued this goal). And therefore, I think that Sergey Markedonov's statements regarding the current situation in Armenia are somewhat stereotyped.

Well, for some time now, a great deal of issues in Armenia has been defined and measured by the Karabakh conflict. And this is one of the consequences of April 2016. Although, of course, the Armenians are still far from Azerbaijani habit of conditioning everything, and even heavy rain in Baku, with insidious Armenians, the opportunity to put an end to stripping off the resources, social polarization, politicization of education and healthcare systems in other spheres, is seen in Armenia as an opportunity to strengthen the economy, develop the military-industrial complex, suspend migration and the demographic crisis in the country. And all this is seen as a process that does not run parallel in the situation of the conflict. Therefore, many associate the project of reforming Armenia with the susceptibility of the outside world to the Armenian positions in the conflict.

On the role of lobbying in promoting Armenian and Azerbaijani interests on international platforms

Manvel Sargsyan - I have never attached any decisive importance to lobbying in influencing the policy of the Powers.

Sergey Markedonov -  A very important and interesting question about lobbying. And, by the