VAFA QULUZADE: "RUSSIA MAY USE KARABAKH THE WAY IT USED SOUTH OSSETIA"
Today.Az
13 August 2008
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with Vafa Quluzade, political scientist and former
state adviser on external policy issues of Azerbaijan.
– How would you comment on Mikhail Saakashvili’s decision to quit CIS?
– I consider this decision natural, as the CIS chairman-Russia-
has carried out armed aggression against Georgia. Why should Georgia
further stay with the CIS in such conditions? Thus, I consider the
decision to be quite right.
On the whole, CIS is an ineffective organization, which has not
attained any of the set tasks. The collapse of the organization is
inevitable. Thus, Saakashvili, resented at bombardment of Tbilisi,
Poti and other Georgian cities and conduction of a large scale military
operation by Russians, made the first step in this direction. What
else should he do? Georgia can not resist Russia in the military sense,
as it is weaker than Russia?
– Will Georgia lose something in case it quits CIS?
– Absolutely nothing. Any other country, which may quit the CIS, does
not lose anything as well. The so-called Commonwealth, which, in fact,
does not exist, builds all relations on the bilateral basis. That
is Russia’s idea to make everything possible for restoration of the
USSR by means of the CIS has failed long before. Moscow is aware
of inefficiency of it. CIS also does not lose anything as there is
no such organization in the reality. Georgia’s decision may formally
bother Moscow. Well, Russia has bombed Georgia and Georgia may verbally
hurt Russia in a response.
– Declaring Georgia’s quitting the CIS, Saakashvili called on all
leaders of the former USSR countries also to follow his way. What do
you think will be the official position of Azerbaijan?
– This question can be clarified only by the country’s leadership. On
the whole, if we speak of our position on the events, the Azerbaijani
officials have fully supported Georgia in this conflict. The
well-known announcement of the Foreign Ministry on Georgia’s support
is a demonstration of Azerbaijan’s position. It is unnecessary for the
head of state to express the position each time. The Foreign Minister
is the demonstrator of country’s position on any problem. In this case,
the country has supported Georgia.
– Azerbaijan unlike Georgia, manages to create balance in the relations
with foreign partners. We have quite good relations with Russia and
if Georgia does not lose anything from quitting the CIS, a similar
step by Azerbaijan will probably cause Russia’s resentment and in
the result a chain of negative events.
– I do not think that we have good relations with Russia. The unsettled
Nagorno Karabakh conflict has been incited by Moscow. Russia has
initiated this conflict, occupying 20% of Azerbaijani lands under
Armenia’s pretense and prevented the problem settlement for 15
years. Russia may use Karabakh the way it used South Ossetia. I have
repeatedly warned about the possibility of such a variant: accussation
of Azerbaijan of violating ceasefire and mass attacks by Russian forces
in the Armenian form with use of military technique, tanks and planes
from the same military base in Gumri. It may happen or may not.
Thus, I would not say that relations with Russia are positive.
– Which other political steps against Russian can Saakashvili
undertake?
– Saakashvili has the only purpose to access NATO and he will continue
to do everything possible in this direction. Russia’s military actions
failed to overthrow Saakashvili and bring Giargadze to powers in
an attempt to change the political course of Georgia. Therefore,
I consider this action unsuccessful for Russia. It has not attained
what it wanted.
– Some Russian political scientists hope that the recent events have
deprived Georgia of the chance to join NATO in the near future.
– Nonsense. It is a deliberately erroneous position. The world widely
supports Georgia’s position.
– Do you think that the developments in South Ossetia did not influence
the prospects of Georgia’s NATO accession?
– Absolutely. They have even accelerated the process, even if it
occurs without Abkhazia and South Ossetia.