US UNDERSTANDS AZERBAIJAN’S IMPORTANCE IN CAUCASUS REGION – ANALYST

news.az
April 19 2010
Azerbaijan

1news.az interviews Eugeni Chausovski, analyst of the Stratfor US
analytical center.

How do you assess the recent meeting between Erdogan and Sargsyan
in Washington?

This was quite a standard meeting between both leaders who undertook
to work for ratification of protocols and normalization of relations.

Nevertheless, these protocols are stuck in the parliaments of both
countries that have not gained much progress recently.

Was the Turkish premier subjected to pressure in Washington regarding
the opening of borders with Armenia without the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict?

US President Obama said Turkey should "spare no effort" to normalize
relations with Armenia. However, he did not mention whether this
should be done with or without the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Does the United States understand that it may lose Azerbaijan with its
energy sources by supporting the opening of borders between Turkey
and Armenia without the resolution of the Karabakh conflict? And do
they realize that they may lose the only Muslim country that has good
relations with the United States in this region?

The United States understands Azerbaijan’s importance in this region
but they also have many other interests and therefore, must balance,
including in the issue of the Turkey-Armenia relations.

Does the United States understand Azerbaijan’s importance and how
well do they understand the South Caucasus region?

Though the US government realizes the strategic importance of
Azerbaijan in the Caucasus, this must comply with its relations with
other countries as Turkey, Armenia and Russia. As for Americans,
most of them have extremely limited knowledge about this region.