News - German political scientist: Aliyev may face pressure from Europe for refusing to attend Granada meeting

Azerbaijani President Aliyev's decision not to attend the meeting in Granada may be in vain, as agreements still need to be reached, especially when Europe is offering such a platform, according to German political scientist Alexander Rahr. He made these remarks in a conversation with NEWS.am. Rahr suggested that Azerbaijan might be reluctant to hear criticism of its policies, but he believes that Aliyev will eventually attend the meeting. Rahr argued that if Aliyev doesn't go, it will be a loss for Europe, which is striving to take the initiative from Russia to pursue an independent peacekeeping policy in the Caucasus. Consequently, he anticipates that pressure will be exerted on Aliyev to attend. Rahr also noted that Baku is attempting to make the most of Western mediation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declined an invitation to travel to Granada for a meeting with Nikol Pashinyan, which was supposed to include the leaders of the EU, France, and Germany. Azerbaijan cited the "destructive position of France" and disagreement of Paris and Berlin over the Turkish President's participation as reasons for the refusal. Turkish media reported that Erdogan also wouldn't be attending the Granada meeting, citing a cold as the reason.