"AZERBAIJAN IS CONCERNED ABOUT TURKEY-ARMENIA RAPPROCHEMENT"

Eurasian Home Analytical Resource
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Nov 26 2009

ELDAR ISMAILOV, Doctor of History, professor of Baku State University,
director of the NGO "For Civil Society", Baku

In connection with the meeting between Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which was held on
November 22 in Munich, the rumours that Yerevan can agree on liberation
of the Nagorno-Karabakh areas are discussed in Azerbaijan.

But there is no telling if those concessions are realistic. There is a
hope that Armenia will do that, and not at the expense of Azerbaijan’s
large concessions. But I believe that so far the sides are not going
to make it up with each other.

Azerbaijan is concerned about Turkey-Armenia rapprochement. Turkey is
Azerbaijan’s strategic partner, and Turkey-Armenia rapprochement can
deprive Baku of the strategic partnership. At the same time there is
no need to dramatize the situation.

Turkey has always sought to play a significant role in the Caucasian
region, which comes natural. The rapprochement between Turkey and
Armenia is inevitable. I think that Azerbaijan will not lose Turkey
as a significant partner.

Russia’s role in the region is of the same importance to Baku. The
visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Russia on November 24
has confirmed that once again. We hope that Russia will support and
understand us and that it will follow a balanced policy in the region.

I would not like Russia to always favour only one side in the region
and to consider only Armenia as an outpost of its interests in the
South Caucasus. I believe that Azerbaijan is a more reliable partner
for Russia in the region.

Georgia is a country with which Azerbaijan would like to maintain good
relations. Azerbaijan has bad relations with Armenia, so it cannot
afford to have such relations with another neighbouring country. Baku
does its utmost to make Georgia its ally. Tbilisi also makes reverent
gestures towards Baku, especially as because Azerbaijan is a richer
country than Georgia, and Georgia needs investments. By the way,
Azerbaijan could become an important partner in improvement of
Russia-Georgia relations, which I believe will take place sooner
or later.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress