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Russian paper says USA "piling pressure" on Azerbaijan ahead of poll
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Moscow
14 Jul 05
Text of Sohbat Mammadov's report by Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya
Gazeta on 14 July headlined "Short leash for Ilham Aliyev. The
intensified US pressure on Baku is intended to take the parliament
out of presidential control"
Yesterday [14 July] saw the end of a three-day visit to Azerbaijan
by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, now chairwoman
of the US National Democratic Institute (NDI). Ms Albright visited
Baku with the intention of familiarizing herself with the situation
in Azerbaijan ahead of the parliamentary election. She was accompanied
by Patrick Merloe, a leading expert in electoral programmes.
The US diplomat discussed the election situation in Azerbaijan with
officials, leaders of political and public organizations, journalists
and representatives of the international public. On her return to
the USA, Madeleine Albright will make a statement on the course of
democratic processes in Azerbaijan.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta was told by a well-informed diplomatic source that
the NDI chairwoman's visit to Azerbaijan had been planned for this
autumn. But exceptional circumstances - the mounting confrontation
between the authorities and the opposition - forced Washington
officials to send an experienced diplomat to Baku early, to help
their ambassador, Reno Harnish. According to Azerbaijani analysts,
Ms Albright is carrying out a special mission, the details of which
might become clear after her meeting with [Azerbaijani President]
Ilham Aliyev.
But already we can definitely say that Washington, which has declared
the Caspian region a zone of its strategic interests, is extremely
keen to avoid the destabilization of the situation in Azerbaijan.
After all, Azerbaijan's proven and prospective oil resources, as well
as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, are
sure to play a significant role in the world oil market this century.
Second, Azerbaijan's geographical location, given that the East-West
transcontinental transport corridor is being laid across its
territory, makes it a strategically important country in the region.
Ilham Aliyev is well aware of this and is trying to conduct a balanced
international policy and not to spoil relations primarily with his
closest neighbours - Russia and Iran. But this prospect appears not to
suit Washington. So, in an effort to establish total control over the
republic, the USA is piling pressure on Azerbaijani officialdom. The US
embassy in Azerbaijan is using its favourite methods in pursuit of its
strategic goals. These include generous funding of nongovernmental
organizations, political support for the pro-Western opposition
and the threat to reactivate the 907th amendment to the programme
of assistance for CIS countries, whereby Congress banned military
assistance to Azerbaijan, as a country in conflict with Armenia.
By activating these means of pressure, Washington is essentially
seeking one thing - to turn down the heat in Azerbaijan, conduct
parliamentary elections that are as fair as possible, ensure that
members of the opposition are involved in parliamentary work, and
thus take the country's legislative body out of Ilham Aliyev's control.
These US endeavours are bound to inspire members of the Azerbaijani
opposition. But they forget that the USA bases its relations with
Azerbaijan on its geopolitical importance, not its domestic policy.
They also forget that in intimidating Ilham Aliyev with the prospect
of a yellow revolution, Washington is prepared to flout many democratic
values for the sake of attaining its strategic goals.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Moscow
14 Jul 05
Text of Sohbat Mammadov's report by Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya
Gazeta on 14 July headlined "Short leash for Ilham Aliyev. The
intensified US pressure on Baku is intended to take the parliament
out of presidential control"
Yesterday [14 July] saw the end of a three-day visit to Azerbaijan
by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, now chairwoman
of the US National Democratic Institute (NDI). Ms Albright visited
Baku with the intention of familiarizing herself with the situation
in Azerbaijan ahead of the parliamentary election. She was accompanied
by Patrick Merloe, a leading expert in electoral programmes.
The US diplomat discussed the election situation in Azerbaijan with
officials, leaders of political and public organizations, journalists
and representatives of the international public. On her return to
the USA, Madeleine Albright will make a statement on the course of
democratic processes in Azerbaijan.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta was told by a well-informed diplomatic source that
the NDI chairwoman's visit to Azerbaijan had been planned for this
autumn. But exceptional circumstances - the mounting confrontation
between the authorities and the opposition - forced Washington
officials to send an experienced diplomat to Baku early, to help
their ambassador, Reno Harnish. According to Azerbaijani analysts,
Ms Albright is carrying out a special mission, the details of which
might become clear after her meeting with [Azerbaijani President]
Ilham Aliyev.
But already we can definitely say that Washington, which has declared
the Caspian region a zone of its strategic interests, is extremely
keen to avoid the destabilization of the situation in Azerbaijan.
After all, Azerbaijan's proven and prospective oil resources, as well
as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, are
sure to play a significant role in the world oil market this century.
Second, Azerbaijan's geographical location, given that the East-West
transcontinental transport corridor is being laid across its
territory, makes it a strategically important country in the region.
Ilham Aliyev is well aware of this and is trying to conduct a balanced
international policy and not to spoil relations primarily with his
closest neighbours - Russia and Iran. But this prospect appears not to
suit Washington. So, in an effort to establish total control over the
republic, the USA is piling pressure on Azerbaijani officialdom. The US
embassy in Azerbaijan is using its favourite methods in pursuit of its
strategic goals. These include generous funding of nongovernmental
organizations, political support for the pro-Western opposition
and the threat to reactivate the 907th amendment to the programme
of assistance for CIS countries, whereby Congress banned military
assistance to Azerbaijan, as a country in conflict with Armenia.
By activating these means of pressure, Washington is essentially
seeking one thing - to turn down the heat in Azerbaijan, conduct
parliamentary elections that are as fair as possible, ensure that
members of the opposition are involved in parliamentary work, and
thus take the country's legislative body out of Ilham Aliyev's control.
These US endeavours are bound to inspire members of the Azerbaijani
opposition. But they forget that the USA bases its relations with
Azerbaijan on its geopolitical importance, not its domestic policy.
They also forget that in intimidating Ilham Aliyev with the prospect
of a yellow revolution, Washington is prepared to flout many democratic
values for the sake of attaining its strategic goals.