Azeri daily reports "shocking effect" over Putin’s radar proposal
Ekspress, Baku
8 Jun 07
Excerpt from unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 8
June headlined "A geopolitical bluff around the Qabala radar
station…[ellipsis as published]"; subheadings as published:
The most sensational news came from a meeting between [Russian
President Vladimir] Putin and [US president George] Bush held on the
sidelines of the G8 summit in Germany.
[Passage omitted: Putin proposed the USA to jointly use the Qabala
radar station in Azerbaijan instead of installing radars in Poland and
the Czech Republic]
Baku’s response will be known today
Putin’s sensational statement yesterday [7 June] has had a strong
shocking effect in Baku. In any case, nobody expected that Azerbaijan
would be mentioned in such a high-profile event from this standpoint.
Official bodies do not hurry to comment on the subject. Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will express his position on the
issue today.
[Passage omitted: Deputy Foreign Minister Azimov says Azerbaijan ready
for trilateral talks]
The head of the foreign relations department at the Azerbaijani
presidential administration, Novruz Mammadov, said that it is difficult
to comment on the issue as it is "open".
"The point is that Azerbaijan and the USA had no talks on these two
issues [as published]," the official of the presidential administration
told Ekspress.
To recap, the joint use of the Qabala radar station by the USA and
Russia was discussed during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s
visit to Baku two weeks ago. Later the US embassy in Baku said that the
discussion of the issue was "incorrect" as Washington had proposed
nothing to Moscow about this.
[Passage omitted: the US defence secretary regarded the issue as
difficult during Moscow visit in April; details about coverage area of
the radar station]
They deceive each other
"If the Azerbaijani radar station reduces tension between the two
superpowers, then it is good and worthy of discussion," a government
member wishing to remain anonymous told Ekspress.
According to military experts, the Qabala radar station is considered
to be important to Russia. Therefore, Moscow will never give such an
important facility to the USA.
" By mentioning the station’s name, maybe Putin wanted to show that
Bush was bluffing," the source said.
By directing the US missile defence system plans at Azerbaijan, Putin
mocks at Bush.
[Passage omitted: Bush says that missile defence systems is a "shield"
against Iran and North Korea, but not Russia]
Putin is now testing the USA proposing to install this "shield" just on
border with Iran – in Azerbaijan. Moscow will draw conclusions if the
proposal is rejected. The USA’s actual target is only Russia!
What will Iran say?
The majority of experts that an Ekspress correspondent spoke to over
the subject draw attention to the fact what Putin had told Bush were
attractive and risky.
"Apart from the superpowers’ interests, Azerbaijan’s security should be
ensured. If Putin says that the issue has been agreed with
[Azerbaijani] President Ilham Aliyev, this may happen. However,
Azerbaijan’s security should be guaranteed first of all," political
analyst Rasim Musabayov said.
Qabil Huseynli is interested in Iran’s possible reaction if Putin’s
proposal is accepted.
"Russia must first convince Iran that this is a defence system and
promises no threat," Huseynli said.
There are behind-the-scene talks at the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
that Baku can cooperate with the superpowers on its own territory in
the sphere of strategic cooperation if only it entrusts them.
"As for cooperation in the national security issues, the level of this
trust should be ten times more," one of the ministry officials has told
Ekspress.
Commenting on the US plans on missile systems in Europe in an interview
with Ekspress, a European diplomat working in Baku a while ago voiced
an interesting opinion. He considered that in doing so, Washington
targeted the European Union and wanted to grab Europe’s independence in
conducting its foreign policy.
Bush’s talks in the Czech Republic before the G8 summit were also
interesting from this standpoint. The point is that Eastern Europe does
not believe that Western Europe will maintain its security.
[Passage omitted: according to some experts, Russian-US military
cooperation is absurd]