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FUTURE OF U.S.-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS
by Galib Mammadov
Foreign Policy Journal
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2012/03/02/future-of-u-s-azerbaijani-relations/
March 2 2012
The strong relations between Azerbaijan and the United States are
very important for both countries' national and energy security. Both
countries need to understand the importance of cooperation and need
to take action to reinforce relations with each other.
Azerbaijan is the country that is home to hundreds of ethnic groups.
These ethnic groups have been living in Azerbaijani lands in harmony
for hundreds of years. It is one of the countries in which a mosque,
a church and a synagogue are in peaceful co-existence. After 1996, the
Azerbaijani government restored two synagogues which were devastated
during Soviet rule. The U.S. considers itself as one of the most
tolerant countries in the world to different religions and ethnic
groups. Azerbaijani and U.S. religious and ethnic tolerance can be an
example for many countries. The United States and Azerbaijan share
the same values in terms of tolerance which makes collaboration at
the government and citizen levels easier.
The close relations between the U.S. and Azerbaijan were established
with the signing of the Contract of the Century, which requires the
member companies to develop the Azerbaijani oil fields. The American
oil companies received some of the biggest shares from the contract.
The shares of American companies are as follows: AMOCO 17 percent,
Pennzoil 9.8 percent, and Mc Dermott 2.4 percent.[1]
Azerbaijan experienced rapid GDP growth after receiving a tremendous
amount of investment from the U.S. and other Western countries.
Between the years of 2002-2008, the annual per capita GDP growth rate
increased from 7.3% to 15.7 %.[2] The imports in euro terms for the
year of 2006 were higher in Azerbaijan than in countries like Armenia,
Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania.[3] The rate of the poverty declined
from 49% to 40 percent between the years of 2001 and 2004.[4] We
see considerable changes in the year of 2009 as poverty decreased to
11%.[5] We see also progress in the inflation rate, which decreased
from 20.8% to 1.5 % between the years of 2008 and 2009.[6]
It is important to mention that investments by U.S. corporations in
the Azerbaijani oil sector played a pivotal role in the improvement
of bilateral relations between the two countries. During the Clinton
administration, an American interest in the region began to grow
especially in Azerbaijan because of its energy. Azerbaijan became a
key point of interest for the Clinton administration as the United
States officially signed a 10 billion dollar investment contract with
Azerbaijan to develop its oil fields.[7]
The September 11 attacks brought the collaboration between the
two countries to a higher level. Azerbaijan was amongst the first
countries to offer the United States unconditional support in the
war against terrorism, providing its airspace for Operation Enduring
Freedom in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan was also the first Muslim nation
to send its troops to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. forces in
Iraq. Azerbaijan also joined NATO's Partnership for Peace Program in
1994, which helped to deepen U.S.-Azerbaijani military cooperation.
The Bush Administration primarily focused on military cooperation as
the United States and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on this subject
in 2002.
During the Obama administration, U.S. interest in Azerbaijan began to
decrease. For example, the United States did not invite the Azerbaijani
President to the April 2010, Nuclear Summit held in Washington, while
the Armenian and Georgian officials were among the participants. The
another indicator of the regression in bilateral relations is the
fact that U.S. did not appoint an ambassador to Azerbaijan for one
year and still has no ambassador in the country. In May, 2010, the
White House appointed Mathew Brayza as the United States ambassador
to Azerbaijan. The Armenian lobby in United States tried to block
his nomination by accusing him having close relations with the
Azerbaijani government. Mathew Brayza left Azerbaijan after a year,
as the U.S. Senate did not approve his post. Azerbaijan's geopolitical
location (between countries like Russia and Iran) makes it important
for the US national security interests. At the same time Azerbaijan's
fast growing economy and energy projects like Trans Anatolia Gas
pipeline, which is important for Europe's energy security, makes the
country an important player in the region. U.S.
support for Azerbaijan is very important for the country's future
political and economic successes. Azerbaijani officials need to
promote and reinforce democracy in the country, which will help to
improve the U.S.-Azerbaijan partnership. The country strategists need
to find ways to make a country more Foreign Direct Investment friendly
which will help to attract more investments from U.S. corporations.
Similarly, Azerbaijani governmental and non-governmental parties need
to educate U.S. officials and people about importance of Azerbaijan for
the U.S. national and energy security. Such efforts on Azerbaijan's
part will aid the development of bilateral relations between the
two countries.
On the other hand, U.S. government needs to appoint and confirm
an ambassador to Azerbaijan. This will be a starting point for the
reinforced relations between the two countries. The U.S. government
also needs to increase its support for the projects like Nabbucco and
the Trans Anatolian Gas Pipeline which are important for the Europe's
energy security. U.S. officials should encourage American corporations
to invest in Azerbaijan's energy and non-energy sectors. Such
efforts will aim to further develop economic relations between the
two countries. The next U.S. administration needs also to increase
military cooperation with Azerbaijan which is very important for the
both countries' national security and for the peace in the Caucasus
and the Central Asian region.
Notes
[1] Nasibli, Nasib. "Azerbaijan: Oil and Politics in the Country's
Future." In Oil and Geopolitics in the Caspian Sea Region, by Michael
P. Croissant and Bulent Aras, London : Praeger Publishers, 1998. pp
104-106
[2] Kalyuzhnova, Yelena. Economics of the Caspian Oil and Gas Wealth.
New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.p 11
[3] Vasily Astrov and Peter Havlik. Economic Developments in the Wider
Black Sea Region: The Vienna Institute for International Economic
Studies, September, 2008.p133
[4] Kalyuzhnova, Yelena. Economics of the Caspian Oil and Gas Wealth.
New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.p 11
[5] CIA Factbook 2010
[6] Ibid.
[7] Nasibli, Nasib. "Azerbaijan: Oil and Politics in the Country's
Future." In Oil and Geopolitics in the Caspian Sea Region, by
Michael P. Croissant and Bulent [7]Aras, London : Praeger Publishers,
1998. pp 104-106
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Galib Mammadov
Foreign Policy Journal
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2012/03/02/future-of-u-s-azerbaijani-relations/
March 2 2012
The strong relations between Azerbaijan and the United States are
very important for both countries' national and energy security. Both
countries need to understand the importance of cooperation and need
to take action to reinforce relations with each other.
Azerbaijan is the country that is home to hundreds of ethnic groups.
These ethnic groups have been living in Azerbaijani lands in harmony
for hundreds of years. It is one of the countries in which a mosque,
a church and a synagogue are in peaceful co-existence. After 1996, the
Azerbaijani government restored two synagogues which were devastated
during Soviet rule. The U.S. considers itself as one of the most
tolerant countries in the world to different religions and ethnic
groups. Azerbaijani and U.S. religious and ethnic tolerance can be an
example for many countries. The United States and Azerbaijan share
the same values in terms of tolerance which makes collaboration at
the government and citizen levels easier.
The close relations between the U.S. and Azerbaijan were established
with the signing of the Contract of the Century, which requires the
member companies to develop the Azerbaijani oil fields. The American
oil companies received some of the biggest shares from the contract.
The shares of American companies are as follows: AMOCO 17 percent,
Pennzoil 9.8 percent, and Mc Dermott 2.4 percent.[1]
Azerbaijan experienced rapid GDP growth after receiving a tremendous
amount of investment from the U.S. and other Western countries.
Between the years of 2002-2008, the annual per capita GDP growth rate
increased from 7.3% to 15.7 %.[2] The imports in euro terms for the
year of 2006 were higher in Azerbaijan than in countries like Armenia,
Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania.[3] The rate of the poverty declined
from 49% to 40 percent between the years of 2001 and 2004.[4] We
see considerable changes in the year of 2009 as poverty decreased to
11%.[5] We see also progress in the inflation rate, which decreased
from 20.8% to 1.5 % between the years of 2008 and 2009.[6]
It is important to mention that investments by U.S. corporations in
the Azerbaijani oil sector played a pivotal role in the improvement
of bilateral relations between the two countries. During the Clinton
administration, an American interest in the region began to grow
especially in Azerbaijan because of its energy. Azerbaijan became a
key point of interest for the Clinton administration as the United
States officially signed a 10 billion dollar investment contract with
Azerbaijan to develop its oil fields.[7]
The September 11 attacks brought the collaboration between the
two countries to a higher level. Azerbaijan was amongst the first
countries to offer the United States unconditional support in the
war against terrorism, providing its airspace for Operation Enduring
Freedom in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan was also the first Muslim nation
to send its troops to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. forces in
Iraq. Azerbaijan also joined NATO's Partnership for Peace Program in
1994, which helped to deepen U.S.-Azerbaijani military cooperation.
The Bush Administration primarily focused on military cooperation as
the United States and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on this subject
in 2002.
During the Obama administration, U.S. interest in Azerbaijan began to
decrease. For example, the United States did not invite the Azerbaijani
President to the April 2010, Nuclear Summit held in Washington, while
the Armenian and Georgian officials were among the participants. The
another indicator of the regression in bilateral relations is the
fact that U.S. did not appoint an ambassador to Azerbaijan for one
year and still has no ambassador in the country. In May, 2010, the
White House appointed Mathew Brayza as the United States ambassador
to Azerbaijan. The Armenian lobby in United States tried to block
his nomination by accusing him having close relations with the
Azerbaijani government. Mathew Brayza left Azerbaijan after a year,
as the U.S. Senate did not approve his post. Azerbaijan's geopolitical
location (between countries like Russia and Iran) makes it important
for the US national security interests. At the same time Azerbaijan's
fast growing economy and energy projects like Trans Anatolia Gas
pipeline, which is important for Europe's energy security, makes the
country an important player in the region. U.S.
support for Azerbaijan is very important for the country's future
political and economic successes. Azerbaijani officials need to
promote and reinforce democracy in the country, which will help to
improve the U.S.-Azerbaijan partnership. The country strategists need
to find ways to make a country more Foreign Direct Investment friendly
which will help to attract more investments from U.S. corporations.
Similarly, Azerbaijani governmental and non-governmental parties need
to educate U.S. officials and people about importance of Azerbaijan for
the U.S. national and energy security. Such efforts on Azerbaijan's
part will aid the development of bilateral relations between the
two countries.
On the other hand, U.S. government needs to appoint and confirm
an ambassador to Azerbaijan. This will be a starting point for the
reinforced relations between the two countries. The U.S. government
also needs to increase its support for the projects like Nabbucco and
the Trans Anatolian Gas Pipeline which are important for the Europe's
energy security. U.S. officials should encourage American corporations
to invest in Azerbaijan's energy and non-energy sectors. Such
efforts will aim to further develop economic relations between the
two countries. The next U.S. administration needs also to increase
military cooperation with Azerbaijan which is very important for the
both countries' national security and for the peace in the Caucasus
and the Central Asian region.
Notes
[1] Nasibli, Nasib. "Azerbaijan: Oil and Politics in the Country's
Future." In Oil and Geopolitics in the Caspian Sea Region, by Michael
P. Croissant and Bulent Aras, London : Praeger Publishers, 1998. pp
104-106
[2] Kalyuzhnova, Yelena. Economics of the Caspian Oil and Gas Wealth.
New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.p 11
[3] Vasily Astrov and Peter Havlik. Economic Developments in the Wider
Black Sea Region: The Vienna Institute for International Economic
Studies, September, 2008.p133
[4] Kalyuzhnova, Yelena. Economics of the Caspian Oil and Gas Wealth.
New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.p 11
[5] CIA Factbook 2010
[6] Ibid.
[7] Nasibli, Nasib. "Azerbaijan: Oil and Politics in the Country's
Future." In Oil and Geopolitics in the Caspian Sea Region, by
Michael P. Croissant and Bulent [7]Aras, London : Praeger Publishers,
1998. pp 104-106
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress