Azeri experts see Russia’s Caspian security initiative as being anti-NATO

Zerkalo, Baku
15 Jul 05

Excerpt from F. Teymurxanli’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo
on 15 July headlined “The idea has emerged of setting up joint naval
units in the Caspian”

An international conference on security in the Caspian was held in
Astrakhan yesterday [14 July].

[Passage omitted: attendance details]

The head of the [Azerbaijani] Defence Ministry’s press service, Ramiz
Malikov, has told Zerkalo that the Azerbaijani delegation was led by
the chief of staff of the naval forces, Col Yunus Mammadov.

Malikov confirmed that the conference had discussed the issue of
setting up joint naval units. This is basically all information
Malikov shared with our correspondent.

Russian sources reported that the Astrakhan conference was held on
board of Tatarstan missile ship of the Russian Caspian Fleet. Experts
in Russia believe that the objectives of five coastal states – to
stand up to terror and create a system of protecting Caspian energy
resources – bring the positions of coastal countries closer.

Azerbaijani experts think differently. They are convinced that this
initiative of Russia is intended to create problems for NATO.

In this connection we have to acknowledge that the USA and NATO
are invigorating their positions in the South Caucasus by the day.
Another thing to be kept in mind is that the stationing of NATO’s
peacekeeping troops in the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict zone has become
a popular talking point.

However, let’s return to the conference proper. The thing is that
the Defence Ministry is not making it clear whether the Azerbaijani
side might take part in the proposed units. Malikov has said in
particular that this is more of a political issue and “had better be
put to politicians”.

Military expert Uzeyir Cafarov is somewhat cautious about Azerbaijan’s
possible involvement in the joint units.

“This issue must have been discussed during [commander of Russian
Caspian Flotilla] Yuriy Startsev’s visit to Baku earlier this year.
It seems Caspian states are determined to take serious steps in this
issue,” Cafarov said.

He added that Azerbaijan is capable of keeping the situation in the
Caspian under control without the help of other coastal countries. He
said Azerbaijan’s involvement in joint naval units could take a toll
on the country’s relations with the USA and NATO.

[Passage omitted: other topics on conference’s agenda]