FORMER US AMBASSADOR TO NATO KURT VOLKER: I DON’T SEE ANY REASON FOR AZERBAIJAN NOT TO BECOME A NATO MEMBER

APA
March 1 2010
Azerbaijan

Washington. Isabel Levine – APA. APA’s Washington correspondent’s
interview with Kurt Volker, former US ambassador to NATO (2008-2009).

Mr. Volker is currently serving as a senior fellow and managing
director of Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Johns Hopkins
University in Washington DC.

– The conflicts in the South Caucasus are still being "frozen" despite
that the great powers including US are working on them. What do you
think could help to catalyze them?

– There are a number of conflicts in the region and there are
differences between those. Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is more an
Armenia-Azerbaijan issue. And the other conflicts are in Georgia.

All the conflicts have their own dynamics. But I think to some
degree it is important that the parts of the conflicts are directly
interested and are able to actually make their own decisions and
find solutions. In some cases I think Russia’s influence pulls back
of some of things. Unfortunate, but I think that really is the case.

In Nagorno-Karabakh we have Minks process and I think the elements have
been on the table for a long time. I would hope the Armenian-Turkey
opening of relations will help Armenia be open to Europe and not
the Russian’s influence and that would give some confident in
Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations.

– Speaking about Russia’s influence in the region, taking into
consideration Russia’s policy in the region, what is the possibility
of the regional countries to integrate into NATO?

– NATO has always said that first of all, it is the country’s choice.

NATO is not seeking to extend. Now, it is the country’s choice
whether is wishes to join NATO or not. NATO membership is available
to any country which is developed and is willing to contribute to
the common security.

NATO membership on the whole is about building a secure willing a
better with the common security states. As for as Georgia goes there
are doing well in terms of developing their institutes and economy.

They have to stabilize and built their relationship with Russia.

And Azerbaijan, as well. I don’t see any reason why not becoming
a NATO member. It has a huge economy, and in the prospects it can
become a NATO member.

– How would you characterize on the whole US-Russia relations in
terms of their policy towards South Caucasus?

-I think the Obama administration thinks that it would help if they
have a better relationship with Russia. I think working together on
different things is good. But I don’t think that Russia thinks the
same. I think they are putting pressure on the neighbors. And that
is the difference in the Administrations approach.

Now, I think when you specifically talk about Georgia, this country
should have a very long term strategy. The Russians have broken the
integrity on the territory, recognized those territories as independent
states and put their military bases.

This very much reminds me of the situation with the Baltic countries.

Georgia now has to take the same steps those countries did years ago
– work on the development on the country, development of democracy,
economic situation, fight the corruption, and integrate into the
global economy. And when the country is developed, it will become
more attractive for the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.