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U.S.-AZERBAIJAN RELATIONS GO THROUGH TENSION, YET MAINTAIN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
By Alman Mir
Eurasia Daily Monitor
May 16 2008
DC
As the presidential elections in Azerbaijan are approaching, the issue
of Western influence in those elections and the perceived threat of
the West's support for the color revolutions is once again emerging
in the country. In this context the role of the United States is
particularly highlighted, and in recent weeks comments coming from
the State Department have damaged bilateral relations.
On April 28, while speaking at the Peace Corps 2008 Worldwide
Country Director Conference, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
answered a question about democracy in the South Caucasus as follows:
"there is important work to be done there to bring that part of
the Caucasus [Azerbaijan] closer to standards that we thought they
were once meeting. And it has been a disappointment. Now, one of the
problems has been that because of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh,
all kinds of bad policies are tolerated, let me put it that way,
or excused by political leaders. ... So there is more that we could
do there. I would love to see more volunteers in that part of the
world, both in places that are starting to move up and places that
are still mired in the kinds of problems that you have in Azerbaijan"
(www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/ 04/104120.htm).
This remark caused a great deal of dismay in Azerbaijan, particularly
because the public and officials in the country believe that the recent
post-election violence in Armenia should draw more criticism from
Washington than the developments in Azerbaijan. The foreign ministry
spokesman Khazar Ibrahim immediately reacted by saying, "We read the
statement and must say that the evaluation of the situation in our
country is not at all realistic and is an example of double standards"
(www.day.az, April 29). Ibrahim also added that Baku had the impression
that Washington had lost its sense of reality in the region.
Timur Huseynov, the analyst for the most popular news site www.day.az,
called Rice's remarks "surprising in light of the strategic relations
that the two countries enjoy."
The negative turn in bilateral relations continued when United States
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne E. Derse held a press conference on
May 1 and announced that the U.S. government would spend $3 million
on the forthcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan. These funds
are to be spent on political debates, election monitoring, NGO support
and strengthening political parties. Although not a large sum under
current Azerbaijani conditions, the act itself raised many eyebrows in
official circles. Ramiz Mehtiyev, the head of president's apparatus
and one of the most influential politicians in the country, angrily
responded that this act constituted "interference in the domestic
affairs of the country" (www.day.az, May 3).
Subsequently, the opposition newspaper Musavat speculated that senior
government officials had a closed meeting, in which Mehtiyev's remarks
were discussed and in which the president and the foreign minister
expressed concern that they might damage bilateral relations. The
daily suggested that officials in Baku try to normalize relations
with Washington (Musavat, May 5). Indeed, on May 7 Mehtiyev made
a new statement, saying that U.S.-Azerbaijan relations were "on a
high level."
Whether the meeting took place or not remains unclear. What is
clear, however, is that in Baku here is growing frustration with
what it perceives to be Washington's interference in Azerbaijan's
domestic affairs. Through most of 2007 and 2008 U.S. officials have
continuously criticized Azerbaijan for its problems with freedom of
the press. Last week, President Bush even included Azerbaijan among
the five countries with the biggest problems with press freedoms.
Azerbaijani officials, on the other hand, believe that the United
States does not appreciate the current stability and economic
achievements in the country and misunderstands the historical
pace of the development of Azerbaijan. In private conversations,
officials of the ruling party often point to the problems of race
discrimination, slavery, gender barriers, beating of journalists
and corruption in U.S. history as proof that not everything can be
achieved immediately. Democracy takes time.
There are two other factors that add to the growing irritation in
bilateral relations: strengthening Azerbaijan's economic potential,
which bolsters the spirit and bargaining position of government
officials, and the recent vote on Nagorno-Karabakh at the UN General
Assembly, in which the United States voted against the Baku-sponsored
resolution. Officials in Baku believe that a country that voted against
the most crucial document for Azerbaijan does not have the moral
right to call itself a friend or to give advice on domestic affairs.
Despite the tension, however, it is unlikely that Azerbaijan will
make significant changes in its foreign policy orientation.
By Alman Mir
Eurasia Daily Monitor
May 16 2008
DC
As the presidential elections in Azerbaijan are approaching, the issue
of Western influence in those elections and the perceived threat of
the West's support for the color revolutions is once again emerging
in the country. In this context the role of the United States is
particularly highlighted, and in recent weeks comments coming from
the State Department have damaged bilateral relations.
On April 28, while speaking at the Peace Corps 2008 Worldwide
Country Director Conference, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
answered a question about democracy in the South Caucasus as follows:
"there is important work to be done there to bring that part of
the Caucasus [Azerbaijan] closer to standards that we thought they
were once meeting. And it has been a disappointment. Now, one of the
problems has been that because of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh,
all kinds of bad policies are tolerated, let me put it that way,
or excused by political leaders. ... So there is more that we could
do there. I would love to see more volunteers in that part of the
world, both in places that are starting to move up and places that
are still mired in the kinds of problems that you have in Azerbaijan"
(www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/ 04/104120.htm).
This remark caused a great deal of dismay in Azerbaijan, particularly
because the public and officials in the country believe that the recent
post-election violence in Armenia should draw more criticism from
Washington than the developments in Azerbaijan. The foreign ministry
spokesman Khazar Ibrahim immediately reacted by saying, "We read the
statement and must say that the evaluation of the situation in our
country is not at all realistic and is an example of double standards"
(www.day.az, April 29). Ibrahim also added that Baku had the impression
that Washington had lost its sense of reality in the region.
Timur Huseynov, the analyst for the most popular news site www.day.az,
called Rice's remarks "surprising in light of the strategic relations
that the two countries enjoy."
The negative turn in bilateral relations continued when United States
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne E. Derse held a press conference on
May 1 and announced that the U.S. government would spend $3 million
on the forthcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan. These funds
are to be spent on political debates, election monitoring, NGO support
and strengthening political parties. Although not a large sum under
current Azerbaijani conditions, the act itself raised many eyebrows in
official circles. Ramiz Mehtiyev, the head of president's apparatus
and one of the most influential politicians in the country, angrily
responded that this act constituted "interference in the domestic
affairs of the country" (www.day.az, May 3).
Subsequently, the opposition newspaper Musavat speculated that senior
government officials had a closed meeting, in which Mehtiyev's remarks
were discussed and in which the president and the foreign minister
expressed concern that they might damage bilateral relations. The
daily suggested that officials in Baku try to normalize relations
with Washington (Musavat, May 5). Indeed, on May 7 Mehtiyev made
a new statement, saying that U.S.-Azerbaijan relations were "on a
high level."
Whether the meeting took place or not remains unclear. What is
clear, however, is that in Baku here is growing frustration with
what it perceives to be Washington's interference in Azerbaijan's
domestic affairs. Through most of 2007 and 2008 U.S. officials have
continuously criticized Azerbaijan for its problems with freedom of
the press. Last week, President Bush even included Azerbaijan among
the five countries with the biggest problems with press freedoms.
Azerbaijani officials, on the other hand, believe that the United
States does not appreciate the current stability and economic
achievements in the country and misunderstands the historical
pace of the development of Azerbaijan. In private conversations,
officials of the ruling party often point to the problems of race
discrimination, slavery, gender barriers, beating of journalists
and corruption in U.S. history as proof that not everything can be
achieved immediately. Democracy takes time.
There are two other factors that add to the growing irritation in
bilateral relations: strengthening Azerbaijan's economic potential,
which bolsters the spirit and bargaining position of government
officials, and the recent vote on Nagorno-Karabakh at the UN General
Assembly, in which the United States voted against the Baku-sponsored
resolution. Officials in Baku believe that a country that voted against
the most crucial document for Azerbaijan does not have the moral
right to call itself a friend or to give advice on domestic affairs.
Despite the tension, however, it is unlikely that Azerbaijan will
make significant changes in its foreign policy orientation.