AGENCY SLAMS AZERI AUTHORITIES FOR FAILURE TO REACT TO REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

Turan news agency
Sept 2 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, 2 September: The state of prostration in which the Baku
government has found itself since the beginning of the aggression
against Georgia is continuing. The situation worsened even further
after Moscow recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, as well as the Turkish president announced his possible
visit to Armenia.

Until the last minute each of these issues, which the country’s
foreign policy was based on, seemed inconceivable to the Azerbaijani
authorities. All the assurances given by the government to the
population are now irrelevant and one has to admit that the situation
has basically changed. However, the authorities are incapable of
doing so, which is why they have chosen the tactics of an ostrich.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry did not even hold the traditional
news conference [on Monday 1 September]. The official reason was
the press secretary’s sickness (as if there was no-one else working
at the Foreign Ministry). In the meantime, the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry and the presidential administration have been avoiding in
every way possible commenting on the decision by Moscow to recognize
the independence of the separatists and Turkish President Abdullah
Gul’s visit to Armenia.

The situation has also showed that the authorities were not absolutely
ready for the crisis in the region. Apparently, the authorities have no
idea what steps to take, what to say and how. However, the longer Baku
keeps silent, the more its confusion will be evident to the public.