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Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
July 10 2008
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT IN BAKU: DID HE GET WHAT HE WANTED?
By Alman Mir - Ismail
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Newly elected President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev paid
his first official visit to Azerbaijan where he met with his
Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and leaders of the various
religious denominations in the country. He also visited the Heydar
Aliyev Foundation, which preserves the legacy of the late President
Heydar Aliyev. During the visit, five documents were signed between
the two governments, including a declaration on friendship and
strategic partnership, an agreement between the foreign ministries to
cooperate in the sphere of archives, a memorandum between the
ministries of internal affairs on the protection of transit cargo, an
agreement between customs committees, and a memorandum between
agencies on the management of state properties (APA, July 3).
Both Medvedev and Aliyev hailed the results of the visit. `Russia and
Azerbaijan have strong economic ties, which help us in the resolution
of other issues. We are close to achieving our target of a trade
turnover of $2 billion. In the past four months, trade between our two
countries has increased by half. It shows that there is very good
potential,' said Medvedev (RIA-Novosti, July 3). President Aliyev
echoed these words and also praised the growing economic cooperation
between the two nations. He specifically stressed the growing
cooperation in humanitarian affairs. Azerbaijan recently agreed to
host a Baku branch of Moscow State University, a new initiative by the
Russian Federation to foster its public diplomacy in post-Soviet
areas. Aliyev focused on the efforts of the Azerbaijani government to
protect and develop the Russian language and Russian minority in the
country.
Other issues on the two presidents' agenda were the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict; regional security cooperation, especially within the
framework of the Caspian Sea and the resolution of its legal status;
and issues of religious tolerance and trade. Medvedev praised the
efforts by President Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Serzh
Sarkisian to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict and added that
`Russia will do its best to help this process' (Novosti-Azerbaijan,
July 3). Last month, Medvedev hosted both Presidents in St. Petersburg
for the first time to discuss the conflict. Some pundits in the
country speculated that this was done at the insistence of Sarkisian,
with whom President Aliyev refused to meet at the Bucharest NATO
summit in order not to strengthen his legitimacy after the reportedly
fraudulent elections.
Although both Medvedev and Aliyev said that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict was the main topic of discussion, it was clear from
commentaries before and after the visit that the conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan is only a bargaining chip in the larger game
around Azerbaijan's growing gas exporting capabilities and the Russian
state company Gazprom's desire to prevent Azerbaijan from being the
alternative gas provider to European markets. In Baku in early June
Gazprom President Alexei Miller offered to buy all Azerbaijani gas at
the market price. Although no official offer has been made yet, local
analysts rushed to comment on this proposal, stating that Russia
wanted to monopolize Azerbaijan's gas exports.
Medvedev did not shy away from openly declaring Russia's interest in
energy trade with Azerbaijan. `Russia and Azerbaijan will develop
cooperation in the energy sphere. Energy, transport and industry are
the focus of both presidents. And cooperation in the trade of energy
products will increase in the near future,' said Medvedev
(Novosti-Azerbaijan, July 3).
Russian officials have even tried to entice Azerbaijan by offering
vague promises about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russian ambassador
to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov said prior to the visit, `Russia will
play a more constructive role in the resolution of the conflict'
(www.day.az, July 1).
Official Baku, however, does not seem to be too excited about the
Gazprom offer for reasons that are very clear: why sell gas to Russia
at market rates, if it is possible to do the same for the European
countries and use the energy card as leverage in bilateral relations
with the EU? Khazar Ibrahim, the spokesperson for the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, said, `Any sort of pressure from outside on
Azerbaijan on the issue of energy supplies is impossible' (www.day.az,
June 28).
Thus, it is likely that Medvedev's visit, although a very positive
step in bilateral relations, will not result in too much of a change
in Azerbaijan's foreign policy. A balanced foreign policy will be
continued.
From: Baghdasarian
July 10 2008
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT IN BAKU: DID HE GET WHAT HE WANTED?
By Alman Mir - Ismail
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Newly elected President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev paid
his first official visit to Azerbaijan where he met with his
Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and leaders of the various
religious denominations in the country. He also visited the Heydar
Aliyev Foundation, which preserves the legacy of the late President
Heydar Aliyev. During the visit, five documents were signed between
the two governments, including a declaration on friendship and
strategic partnership, an agreement between the foreign ministries to
cooperate in the sphere of archives, a memorandum between the
ministries of internal affairs on the protection of transit cargo, an
agreement between customs committees, and a memorandum between
agencies on the management of state properties (APA, July 3).
Both Medvedev and Aliyev hailed the results of the visit. `Russia and
Azerbaijan have strong economic ties, which help us in the resolution
of other issues. We are close to achieving our target of a trade
turnover of $2 billion. In the past four months, trade between our two
countries has increased by half. It shows that there is very good
potential,' said Medvedev (RIA-Novosti, July 3). President Aliyev
echoed these words and also praised the growing economic cooperation
between the two nations. He specifically stressed the growing
cooperation in humanitarian affairs. Azerbaijan recently agreed to
host a Baku branch of Moscow State University, a new initiative by the
Russian Federation to foster its public diplomacy in post-Soviet
areas. Aliyev focused on the efforts of the Azerbaijani government to
protect and develop the Russian language and Russian minority in the
country.
Other issues on the two presidents' agenda were the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict; regional security cooperation, especially within the
framework of the Caspian Sea and the resolution of its legal status;
and issues of religious tolerance and trade. Medvedev praised the
efforts by President Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Serzh
Sarkisian to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict and added that
`Russia will do its best to help this process' (Novosti-Azerbaijan,
July 3). Last month, Medvedev hosted both Presidents in St. Petersburg
for the first time to discuss the conflict. Some pundits in the
country speculated that this was done at the insistence of Sarkisian,
with whom President Aliyev refused to meet at the Bucharest NATO
summit in order not to strengthen his legitimacy after the reportedly
fraudulent elections.
Although both Medvedev and Aliyev said that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict was the main topic of discussion, it was clear from
commentaries before and after the visit that the conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan is only a bargaining chip in the larger game
around Azerbaijan's growing gas exporting capabilities and the Russian
state company Gazprom's desire to prevent Azerbaijan from being the
alternative gas provider to European markets. In Baku in early June
Gazprom President Alexei Miller offered to buy all Azerbaijani gas at
the market price. Although no official offer has been made yet, local
analysts rushed to comment on this proposal, stating that Russia
wanted to monopolize Azerbaijan's gas exports.
Medvedev did not shy away from openly declaring Russia's interest in
energy trade with Azerbaijan. `Russia and Azerbaijan will develop
cooperation in the energy sphere. Energy, transport and industry are
the focus of both presidents. And cooperation in the trade of energy
products will increase in the near future,' said Medvedev
(Novosti-Azerbaijan, July 3).
Russian officials have even tried to entice Azerbaijan by offering
vague promises about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russian ambassador
to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov said prior to the visit, `Russia will
play a more constructive role in the resolution of the conflict'
(www.day.az, July 1).
Official Baku, however, does not seem to be too excited about the
Gazprom offer for reasons that are very clear: why sell gas to Russia
at market rates, if it is possible to do the same for the European
countries and use the energy card as leverage in bilateral relations
with the EU? Khazar Ibrahim, the spokesperson for the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, said, `Any sort of pressure from outside on
Azerbaijan on the issue of energy supplies is impossible' (www.day.az,
June 28).
Thus, it is likely that Medvedev's visit, although a very positive
step in bilateral relations, will not result in too much of a change
in Azerbaijan's foreign policy. A balanced foreign policy will be
continued.
From: Baghdasarian