How world "helps" conflict resolution

Unfortunately, the world today has nothing to discuss except conflicts. There are no common prospects on the global agenda, and allied relations have cracked. The main topic of the anniversary session of the UN General Assembly was the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They discussed it menacingly and decisively, but to no avail. At times, they also recalled the Russian-Ukrainian war, although much less often than in previous years. This conflict is not trending right now.

Looking at all this, there was a strange feeling. And the most unpleasant thing is that the international community is not able to resolve conflicts, all attempts are clumsy and only exacerbate problems.

The United Nations, like other international organizations, has long lost its credibility and ability to influence processes. The UN failed to stop even little Armenia. However, we must admit that the international community did not really try. More precisely, they did not make any real efforts to restore justice at all. Nobody was interested in what was happening in the South Caucasus. For many years, this region was considered the patrimony of Russia, and other players observed some kind of diplomatic correctness, not interfering in the affairs of its "possessions". The fate of the region was pushed to the margins of global politics, and only Baku did not let it be forgotten. If it were not for the insistent demands of Azerbaijan, if it were not for the intractability of its leadership, this conflict would have been archived. He suited many people in this capacity, but not Baku.

The occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia has never been a topic of serious discussion in the UN General Assembly or in any other international organization. Except that in the early 90s, when the Armenian military aggression and ethnic cleansing were in full swing, resolutions were adopted, the implementation of which the UN did not follow in the future. When the war stopped in May 1994 and the Bishkek Protocol was signed, the world didn't care what happened in the far South Caucasus. Have you stopped shooting? "Well, that's nice.

The number of documents supporting Azerbaijan's just position during the years of the Armenian occupation was scanty. It cannot be compared in any way with the number of various resolutions, decisions and statements in support of Armenia adopted after the Second Karabakh War and especially after September 2023. The "civilized" world suddenly remembered the existence of international law only when the conflict, which was calculated to prolong, ended. Lawyers came running from everywhere, it turns out, who know the Geneva Conventions and other documents by heart, which have remained useless for thirty years to protect the rights and interests of the Azerbaijani people and Azerbaijan. Until 2020, the world quietly watched what was happening, and the powers calculated the political dividends from supporting the Armenian project. Over the past 35 years, only Internet links and loud signatures under resolutions and conventions have remained from international law. Chaos has reigned in international relations, which has taken on the most cynical forms these days.

Although Azerbaijan and Armenia are not the locomotives of global politics, it was with the Karabakh conflict that the breakdown of the former world order based on international law developed after the Second World War began. Armenia's open military aggression, total ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Azerbaijani people, which the world has turned away from, were the first to undermine the foundations. A crime that goes unpunished becomes an example for others.

Today, Azerbaijan and Armenia are moving towards signing a peace treaty. This prospect became possible thanks to Baku and despite the complexity of the issue. But even now, there are still those who want to step in and "help."

Last Friday, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment initiated by lobbyist Gabe Abo to the Law extending the powers of the State Department for fiscal year 2026. The lobby managed to push through an amendment obliging the State Department to interfere in the affairs of a sovereign state and condition bilateral relations with this interference. How much it will be implemented is another matter. The current administration is unlikely to insist much, having met with opposition from Baku. The experience of the former White House ruling team has shown that this is the most ineffective way to build relations with Azerbaijan.

The Diaspora is triumphant. The Abo lobbyist also enjoys the reward of success. It has been a long time since American Armenians have had success, and here is such a piece of cake. Armenian publications with reference to the Armenian Assembly of America write that the amendment obliges US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to cooperate with the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to facilitate the release of war criminals, terrorists and separatists, protect the non-existent Armenian heritage and return Armenians who voluntarily left back to Azerbaijan. After all, the United States and its foreign ministry have no other important tasks left, except for the fate of Ruben Vardanyan or the "ancient" khachkars made in Uncle Hakob's workshop ten years ago.

It is clear that none of these issues will be accepted by Azerbaijan as an item on the peace agenda. None of them concerns interstate relations with Armenia and will not be discussed with anyone. Doesn't it seem illogical for the lobby to demand that Rubio raise the issue of the return of Armenians, while Yerevan itself has closed this issue and is talking only about the integration of former Karabakh residents into Armenian society? Any attempts to put pressure on Baku will end with a cold snap. Moreover, this cooling was not beneficial even to the previous administration, which, as everyone remembers, supported Armenia by default.

Let us recall the scandal that broke out between Baku and Washington after former assistant to former Secretary of State Blinken O'Brien stated at a Senate hearing in November 2023 that the American side had postponed holding high-level bilateral meetings and contacts with Azerbaijan and that there could not be cooperation in bilateral relations as before. The reason for such statements was the anti-terrorist operation in Karabakh and the mass voluntary departure of Armenians from there.

Instead of being scared, Baku announced that it was also canceling all high-level visits from the United States. And the State Department realized what they had done. Blinken called Baku himself and begged O'Brien to let the windbag come to fix the situation. And this, we recall, at the height of the Biden team's rule, which depends on the interests and votes of the Armenian people.

It is unclear what the lobby expects from Marco Rubio. Donald Trump positions himself as a peacemaker in relations between Baku and Yerevan. He will not destroy his image and lose the trust of the parties. The Trump team needs to bring the matter to its logical conclusion, and while the pro-Armenian amendment was being voted on in the House of Representatives, the same Marco Rubio received the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia as guests of the Transatlantic Dinner in New York. The latter is a reflection of reality, while the amendment to the law on the State Department is meaningless gestures.

Watching what is happening on the world stage today, one gets the feeling that senseless gestures, but already on other conflicts, are continuing.