Thursday, 26 May, 2005, 13:29 GMT 14:29 UK
Azeri press gripped by oil boom
Azerbaijan’s press considers the implications of Wednesday’s opening of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC), which will export oil from the Caspian Sea
to the Mediterranean.
Pro-government and opposition newspapers are divided on the legacy of late
President Heydar Aliyev and his predecessor Abulfaz Elcibay. Some commentators
hope the pipeline will spur political change in Azerbaijan and a settlement of
the long-running Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia.
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Oil is being pumped into the pipeline. This is a triumph for Azerbaijan’s oil
strategy, which was prepared by the great leader Heydar Aliyev and started
with the signing of the Contract of the Century on 20 September 1994.
Yeni Azarbaycan – pro-government
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Everybody understands that HE DID IT. Heydar Aliyev resembles a wise gardener
who plants a garden for people without being sure that he will reap its
fruits. Yesterday’s event was one of those fruits.
Markaz – pro-government
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Azerbaijani oil, which has become a handicap for all Azerbaijanis, will
finally reach world markets. But the project’s original ideologist, the late
Abulfaz Elcibay, and the late Heydar Aliyev, who manipulated the project to build
his own empire, did not live to witness the event.
Bizim Yol – opposition
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The Aliyevs’ fond illusions about this project were linked to the expectation
that the pipeline would force the USA to turn a blind eye to despotism. But
the USA’s strong support for democratic processes worldwide and explicit signs
that it does not plan to “sacrifice democracy for oil” have undermined this
theory. Bush destroyed the Aliyevs’ illusion with his congratulatory letter, in
which he did not forget to mention that he considers the BTC a means of
strengthening democratic norms in the region.
Azadliq – opposition
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It is time to draw several conclusions. First, the region’s move to Western –
and especially US – control is now virtually irreversible. Second, it is not
worth considering a military solution to the Karabakh conflict. The US will
never accept a resumption of hostilities, which could endanger the operation of
the BTC pipeline. Third, it is important to realise that the launch of the BTC
means that Baku can no longer use oil to bargain with the West, especially
the US, particularly where the country’s democratisation is concerned.
Zerkalo – independent
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This project is also very important for resolving the deadlocked Karabakh
conflict. This is the most important factor that the BTC will bring for
Azerbaijan. Since the resolution of regional conflicts is crucial for the pipeline’s
security and sustainability, the major player in the project, the US, will be
more active in dealing with the Karabakh conflict. This is likely to expedite a
solution to the conflict.
Yeni Qafqaz – pro-government