AZERBAIJAN AND UZBEKISTAN IDENTIFIED UNITY OF POSITIONS

Turan News Agency
Sept 15 2008
Azerbaijan

The visit of Uzbek President Islom Karimov to Azerbaijan on 11-12
September was successful, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry reported,
underlying similarity of positions on many issues of the regional
political and economic nature. It was noted that Uzbekistan and
Azerbaijan share same aims and attempts on the issue of the development
of mutual cooperation and that the countries are partners on political
matters. This assessment was also highlighted at the joint communique
which the two presidents signed at the end of the visit.

Judging by the scarce official statements and reports about the visit,
the sides paid more attention to political aspects of the development
of the situation in the Central Asia and the Southern Caucasus that
has emerged in the wake of the crisis events in Georgia.

The overall bilateral trade between the countries stands at 60m dollars
and could only be a topic of regret but not of important discussions. A
conclusion inevitably springs to mind as a result of the visit is
that the sides have a consolidated position on the events in Georgia.

They assess negatively the military intervention of the Russian
army in Georgia and encroachment upon its territorial integrity. In
Baku Karimov backed in rather direct terms a plan for a peaceful
resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict within the framework
of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and likewise, along with other
countries of the Central Asia, he did not support Russia’s steps to rip
Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgia. Earlier, Baku in response to
Moscow’s challenges repeatedly insisted on inviolability of Georgia’s
frontiers by recognizing the territorial integrity of this country.

The latest aggressive behaviour of Moscow could not but push slightly
countries of the CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States)
to coordination of their positions and speeding up the process of
integration on the basis of bilateral and regional levels. Welcoming
Karimov, Aliyev underlined that the integration of Azerbaijan and
Uzbekistan is of great significance not only for the two countries but
also for the Central Asian, the Caucasus and Caspian region countries.

Aliyev even described the results of the meeting exclusive for
the cooperation of the two countries with strong positions in the
region. The issue in question is most likely about cooperation and
coordination of actions of the countries within a general strategy for
the development of transport and communication and energy corridors
East-West. It is not by chance that the meeting attached a special
significance to the development of transport and transit shipments.

At the same time, proceeding from Karimov’s assessment of Aliyev’s
foreign policy course as balanced, pragmatic and reasonable, the
sides probably would stick to cautious evolutionary steps to reach
the highest degree of independence of their countries from ties
and influence that remained after the demise of the USSR. The sides
experience similar discomfort from similar threats and influence.

Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are experiencing similar risks of being
subjected to military, political, psychological pressure due to efforts
to diversify their energy routes. The countries are vulnerable from
standpoint of regional disagreements with neighbours, international
terrorism, interests of drug syndicates and other threats.

The recognition by Russia (although with reservation about
inadmissibility of this threat for Azerbaijan) of independence
of the separatists in Georgia, the strengthening of the military
presence in this country and the support of dangerous for Uzbekistan
hydropower projects in Tajikistan and reinforcement of the military
presence in this country are factors that cannot but be conducive to
rapprochement of these countries. As is known, in August President
Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin simultaneously visited Central
Asia. Medvedev agreed upon stationing of a Russian air base near
Dushanbe, the handover of 1bn dollar worth arms to the Tajik army,
the exploitation of gas and uranium deposits and the construction
of three hydroelectric facilities in Tajikistan, the realization of
which may lead to dewatering of the eastern part of Uzbekistan.

Against the backdrop of Medvedev’s initiative, the Russian prime
minister "slightly" proposed Karimov cooperation in the gas sector
which should be expressed in reinforcement of Tashkent’s independence
on Moscow. Similarly, practically at the same time, Deputy Prime
Minister Zubkov suggested in Asgabat Turkmen President Gurbanguly
Berdimuhamedow to purchase whole gas at European prices.

Moscow’s political and military actions in August along the southern
direction from the Black Sea to the Pamirs were assessed by several
observers as a preventive step against intensification of West’s
strategy to infiltrate into the former Soviet space. The consolidated
tough military and political repulse to the Kremlin efforts to slow
down this process was heard from Brussels. What will be an energy
reaction of the EU-US tandem will be obvious in the forthcoming
November energy summit in Baku where Uzbekistan’s involvement is not
ruled out.