EXPERT SAYS AZERBAIJAN NEEDS NO US DEMOCRACY
Yeni Azarbaycan, Baku
23 Aug 06
Excerpt from Nardar Bayramli’s report in Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni
Azarbaycan on 23 August entitled "The USA is a bulwark of neither
democracy nor justice" and subheaded "Vafa Quluzada: ‘Matthew Bryza
does not understand that his Armenian brothers killed our people’"
Countries of the world are planning to contribute to an international
peacekeeping mission in the Middle East to ease tension there. The
process is already under way. In parallel with this, GUAM [an alliance
of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova] states are discussing the
possibility of setting up a peacekeeping force of their own. Political
expert Vafa Quluzada’s conclusion regarding the current situation is
as follows:
[Quluzada] The process of setting up peacekeeping forces is
difficult. Many countries do not want to contribute to the peacekeeping
mission in the Middle East. Some countries agree to commit a limited
number of troops. I think the main reason for [US] Senator [Richard]
Lugar’s visit to Baku was to get Azerbaijan’s consent to send a large
contingent of troops to the Middle East. In general, the situation
in the region is unusual.
[Passage omitted: hostilities may resume in the Middle East]
[Correspondent] GUAM countries are in talks on setting up a
peacekeeping force. If this force is set up, can the troops be sent
to Lebanon?
[Quluzada] If a GUAM peacekeeping force is set up, its first mission
will be in Lebanon.
[Correspondent] In general, what is your expectation of this process?
[Quluzada] The USA and NATO are urging us to cooperate and create an
alliance. I think Azerbaijan should cooperate with the West within
the framework of GUAM. The West should also ally itself with us.
First, the USA should be unbiased and recognize Armenia as an occupying
state. However, on the one hand, the USA supports Armenians, and on
the another hand, it wants us to be their ally. I do not accept full
cooperation unless the USA recognizes Armenian aggression [against
Azerbaijan] and pushes for the implementation of the UN Resolutions [No
822, 853, 874, 884 on the withdrawal of Armenian troops from occupied
Azerbaijani territories]. If this does not happen, I am resolutely
against Azerbaijan’s contribution to the Lebanese peacekeeping
mission. Strangely, the USA wants to get everything without giving
anything. Look, the USA has the largest share in Azerbaijan’s oil and
gas projects. We have made big compromises to the USA due to major
strategy and policy. However, the opposite side cannot appreciate this
properly. I think the USA’s approach is wrong. The USA named a co-chair
[of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza] for the Nagornyy Karabakh
settlement who said here that Armenians are their brothers. However,
Matthew Bryza does not understand that his Armenian brothers expelled
over 1m people from their homes and now they are setting fire to their
[displaced people’s] lands. The US administration does not understand
this reality.
[Correspondent] Some experts believe that by setting up a GUAM
peacekeeping force, the USA wants to secure its regional interests.
But will it not cause tough Russian reaction?
[Quluzada] Russia is unable to hinder the setting up of a GUAM
peacekeeping force. Azerbaijan should take necessary steps to maintain
its interests. At the same time, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia should
also protect their interests. I think that the USA acts as an observer
in connection with processes in these countries.
[Correspondent] Vafa muallim [mode of address], you were always
optimistic about US policy. It turns out that you do not rely on the
USA any longer?
[Quluzada] Certainly, I previously considered that the USA was
a bulwark of democracy. I thought the USA would support the newly
independent nations after the demise of the Soviet Union. However, when
the USA decided to export democracy to Iraq, I came to a conclusion
that we did not want this democracy. The USA exported democracy to
several former Soviet states. However, we see Ukraine, Georgia and
Kyrgyzstan are in difficulties. Regrettably, the USA is a bulwark of
neither democracy nor justice.
[Correspondent] Do you think Azerbaijan should make changes to its
foreign policy?
[Quluzada] The best way is to conduct a balanced foreign policy.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev carries out a balanced policy.
This means that Azerbaijan should cooperate with all states, including
Russia and Iran, for the sake of its own national interests. In this
case the USA will see that Azerbaijan has opportunities to pursue a
normal policy in all spheres. We should not defend the USA whoever
it decides to attack. We should not spoil our relations with our
neighbours, on the contrary, we should maintain good relations
with them.