BAKU IN THE FOCUS OF INTRIGUE
WPS Agency
July 7, 2008 Monday
Russia
RUSSIA STARTS A NEW TOUR AIMED AT CONDUCTION OF MORE ACTIVE POLICY
IN TRANSCAUCASIA
After the breakup of the USSR the Transcaucasian states of Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Armenia turned out to be in the zone of permanent
geopolitical instability. This circumstance impacts not only the
foreign policy of these countries but also their ability to build
their statehood. Georgia and Azerbaijan lost control over part of their
territories. Armenia being in economic blockade is painfully seeking
a vector for development acceptable for it and has acute reaction to
changes of the established fragile balance in this sensitive region
of the world.
After the breakup of the USSR the Transcaucasian states of Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Armenia turned out to be in the zone of permanent
geopolitical instability. This circumstance impacts not only the
foreign policy of these countries but also their ability to build
their statehood. Georgia and Azerbaijan lost control over part of their
territories. Armenia being in economic blockade is painfully seeking
a vector for development acceptable for it and has acute reaction to
changes of the established fragile balance in this sensitive region
of the world. Hence, during preparation of the visit of the Russian
President to Azerbaijan, Moscow did its best to observe politeness:
President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisyan visited Russia previously
according to an invitation of Dmitry Medvedev.
Let us go back to Azerbaijan. During the years of independence, Baku
tried practically all possible options of actions: the establishment of
closer relations with Moscow and alienation from it, attempts to obtain
support of the West and many other things. However, everything remained
where it was. That is why many analysts do not rule out that during
the visit of Medvedev, Moscow may offer a new scenario for future
actions to Baku. It is possible to draw this conclusion if we bear in
mind that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has visited Ankara
previously and has had negotiations with the authorities of Turkey,
the country being an active geopolitical player in Transcaucasia. After
Ankara, Lavrov will go to Baku to join Medvedev there. If we bear in
mind that literally on the eve of arrival of the Russian President to
Azerbaijan, American Ambassador Ann Dersy has released an unprecedented
statement in Baku saying that Azerbaijan may become "the third GUAM
country that may enter into NATO" we can draw a conclusion that the
intrigue related to the visit of Medvedev is very complicated.
Many analysts in Baku understand that being in NATO, Azerbaijan may
finally lose the chances for regaining of Nagorno-Karabakh. Besides,
people in Baku see that active pro-Western course of Tbilisi does not
lead to resolving of the problems of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. There
is only one way out, that is the conduction of a more active policy in
the Russian direction and working out such joint social, economic and
transport projects that involve Armenia. That is why it is possible
to presume that starting a new tour aimed at the conduction of more
active policy in Transcaucasia Moscow will try to persuade Baku to take
a more active part in the North-South project reaching countries of
the Indian Ocean. This project can really connect Russia, Azerbaijan,
neighboring Iran and Armenia. Thus, Moscow sees an opportunity of
relieving of tension in the South Caucasus in economy and not in the
bloc confrontation.