THOMAS GOLTZ: "AZERBAIJANI GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE CAREFUL WITH THIS SITUATION"

Azeri Press Agency
Aug 29 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. "Developments in the region are dangerous
for Azerbaijan, but I don’t believe that analogical events will recur
there in near future", said professor at US Montana University Thomas
Goltz told APA.

He said there were both similar and different aspects between Nagorno
Karabakh and the conflicts in Georgia. The Professor thinks that
long-term tensions between Russia and Georgia led Russia to launch
strong military strikes on Georgia. "Terms between Vladimir Putin and
Mikhail Saakashvili are not good. But situation related to Azerbaijan
is different. There are good relations between Azerbaijan and Russia,
between Ilham Aliyev and Russian leadership".

Goltz noted that the situation was not similar, but warned Azerbaijani
Government to be careful. The Professor thinks that Azerbaijan
should continue its "quadrate policy". "It means that Baku should
continue friendship and partnership with Russia in the North, Iran
in the South, China in the East and the United States in the West
and protect the balance".

Responding to question about possibility of Azerbaijan’s intentions
for NATO membership to provide its security, Goltz said it would be
a suicide.