War is not the answer, goes the phrase. But that aphorism begs a question: what was the question?
In the final analysis, after brokering a fragile ceasefire with enduring resilience, Heydar Aliyev dedicated his life to the pursuit of equitable peace.
Azerbaijan embarked on a diplomatic odyssey as the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the wider international community feigned commitment to its collegial responsibility.
Yerevan vacillated between sham negotiations and the bombastic, hard-line stance of a side that viewed itself as the victor.
War was not the answer, but Armenia’s intransigence pushed the situation toward an existential conclusion.
