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MIKHAIL LEONTYEV: "EFFICIENCY OF RUSSIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS WILL DEPEND ON THE WAY OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT"
Today.Az
http://www.today.az/new s/politics/44891.html
May 12 2008
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with Odnako TV program presenter Mikhail Leontiev.
- How will Dmitri Medvedev lead Russia?
-Dmitri Medvedev is a worthy member of Vladimir Putin's team.
His main task is to continue his work in the framework of presidency
this time. The plan of state development already exists. Currently,
it is important to develop different state institutions. Dmitri
Medvedev is quite a competent lawyer. At the same time, he is even
more competent lawyer than Vladimir Putin. The newly elected president
is a real career lawyer.
I think, the powers of the president will include state institutional
issues, while the issues of external policy and accelerated
modernization is a task of the government.
-Anyway, who will rule over Russia, Dmitri Medvedev or Vladimir Putin?
-What does it mean "rule"? The power is normal if it is not
a dictatorship and if it is not controlled by one person. It is
obvious that today our political leader is Vladimir Putin, while the
head of state, with all resulting issues, is Dmitri Medvedev. Yet,
considering the current tasks, the political course is a work of the
government, as, if you remember, the political course of Vladimir Putin
is accelerated modernization, of which he has frequently spoken about.
I would repeat that accelerated modernization is a task of the
government. The government previously had no such tasks. In the
principle, policy was inert, which means ineffective. The main sign
of the restoration of the country became provision of stability.
The newly elected president should continue ensuring stability on a
new level. On the whole, this was the main priority of his election
campaign-development of institutes, which is right, as institutional
development in Russia is a problematic issue. If serious achievements
are attained in this issue, everything will be alright. It is clear
that the task of economic modernization is also the task of the
government. And it deserves being dealt with by the political leader.
Vladimir Putin is a factual and formal political leader of the
country. He leads the major political party of Russia. Why not divide
powers between the President and the Prime Minister? This means that
the working institutions of the Russian executive powers and the
executive powers themselves will become real authorities.
-How will Azerbaijani-Russian relations develop under Dmitri Medvedev's
presidency?
-Definite subjective and perspective aspects are observed in the
relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. The subjective aspect is
the unsettled Nagorno Karabakh conflict, considering that Russia
maintains particular relations with Armenia and quite good relations
with Azerbaijan. But in order to improve Russian-Azerbaijan relations,
the talent and abilities of Heydar Aliyev are needed, as he did not
ignore this problem. I hope, this will not last long.
The problem can be settled in fact, by the only simple reason-it
should be settled. For example, the Palestine-Israel problem, is a
problem, which may have not been settled, if not for external forces,
which are interested in the protraction of this problem settlement,
while the Azerbaijani-Armenian problem should be settled, as this is
of particular concern for not only Azerbaijan, which is an aggrieved
party, but also Armenia.
It is impossible to continue preservation of the quo-status. Armenia
is being defeated both in the political and economic plan, as the
conflict settlement attracts attention of the world community. And
the protracted settlement of the conflict is bad for Armenia. The
efficiency of Russian-Azerbaijani relations will depend on the way
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and they might enter a new
stage or they might not. This may occur as Russia's counteraction
with the West is consolidating. Sooner or later Azerbaijan will have
to choose. We hope that Baku will choose the Kremlin.
-Analysts state that upon completion of Dmitri Medvedev's presidency,
Vladimir Putin will become President of Russia again...
-I do not see any obstacles for such constitutional and political
developments. First of all, Vladimir Putin has not left the
government. His return is possible. Perhaps, not. Everything may
change in the present day rapidly changing world.
Today.Az
http://www.today.az/new s/politics/44891.html
May 12 2008
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with Odnako TV program presenter Mikhail Leontiev.
- How will Dmitri Medvedev lead Russia?
-Dmitri Medvedev is a worthy member of Vladimir Putin's team.
His main task is to continue his work in the framework of presidency
this time. The plan of state development already exists. Currently,
it is important to develop different state institutions. Dmitri
Medvedev is quite a competent lawyer. At the same time, he is even
more competent lawyer than Vladimir Putin. The newly elected president
is a real career lawyer.
I think, the powers of the president will include state institutional
issues, while the issues of external policy and accelerated
modernization is a task of the government.
-Anyway, who will rule over Russia, Dmitri Medvedev or Vladimir Putin?
-What does it mean "rule"? The power is normal if it is not
a dictatorship and if it is not controlled by one person. It is
obvious that today our political leader is Vladimir Putin, while the
head of state, with all resulting issues, is Dmitri Medvedev. Yet,
considering the current tasks, the political course is a work of the
government, as, if you remember, the political course of Vladimir Putin
is accelerated modernization, of which he has frequently spoken about.
I would repeat that accelerated modernization is a task of the
government. The government previously had no such tasks. In the
principle, policy was inert, which means ineffective. The main sign
of the restoration of the country became provision of stability.
The newly elected president should continue ensuring stability on a
new level. On the whole, this was the main priority of his election
campaign-development of institutes, which is right, as institutional
development in Russia is a problematic issue. If serious achievements
are attained in this issue, everything will be alright. It is clear
that the task of economic modernization is also the task of the
government. And it deserves being dealt with by the political leader.
Vladimir Putin is a factual and formal political leader of the
country. He leads the major political party of Russia. Why not divide
powers between the President and the Prime Minister? This means that
the working institutions of the Russian executive powers and the
executive powers themselves will become real authorities.
-How will Azerbaijani-Russian relations develop under Dmitri Medvedev's
presidency?
-Definite subjective and perspective aspects are observed in the
relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. The subjective aspect is
the unsettled Nagorno Karabakh conflict, considering that Russia
maintains particular relations with Armenia and quite good relations
with Azerbaijan. But in order to improve Russian-Azerbaijan relations,
the talent and abilities of Heydar Aliyev are needed, as he did not
ignore this problem. I hope, this will not last long.
The problem can be settled in fact, by the only simple reason-it
should be settled. For example, the Palestine-Israel problem, is a
problem, which may have not been settled, if not for external forces,
which are interested in the protraction of this problem settlement,
while the Azerbaijani-Armenian problem should be settled, as this is
of particular concern for not only Azerbaijan, which is an aggrieved
party, but also Armenia.
It is impossible to continue preservation of the quo-status. Armenia
is being defeated both in the political and economic plan, as the
conflict settlement attracts attention of the world community. And
the protracted settlement of the conflict is bad for Armenia. The
efficiency of Russian-Azerbaijani relations will depend on the way
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and they might enter a new
stage or they might not. This may occur as Russia's counteraction
with the West is consolidating. Sooner or later Azerbaijan will have
to choose. We hope that Baku will choose the Kremlin.
-Analysts state that upon completion of Dmitri Medvedev's presidency,
Vladimir Putin will become President of Russia again...
-I do not see any obstacles for such constitutional and political
developments. First of all, Vladimir Putin has not left the
government. His return is possible. Perhaps, not. Everything may
change in the present day rapidly changing world.