ISRAELI ANALYST YURIY BOCHAROV: "THE WAR WITH IRAN HAS NOT STARTED YET BECAUSE THE INTERESTED PARTIES HADN'T COORDINATED ALL ISSUES" - INTERVIEW
APA
May 3 2012
Azerbaijan
"There is no serious partner of Israel in the region, but Azerbaijan"
"All countries are at war, which has no rule and honesty"
Tel Aviv. Farid Akbarov - APA. Interview with Israeli political
analyst Yuriy Bocharov
- How do you value the current phase of Israel-Azerbaijan relations?
- I think we are on the summit of cooperation. Of course, I would like
to see better and wider relations. We would like the relations to pass
from the level of leadership into wider level - the level of ordinary
people and to cover business, tourism, culture and education. I think
our foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman's last visit to Baku aimed to
widen relations in many spheres. The signed agreements and memorandums
could be examples.
- Could Azerbaijan be considered as the main partner of Israel in
the South Caucasus?
- There is no serious partner of Israel in the region, but Azerbaijan,
because Azerbaijan is the strongest and leading republic in the
South Caucasus. We would like to be friend of everyone, including
Armenia and Georgia, but our relations with those countries can not
be compared with our relations with Azerbaijan.
However I am concerned about some ideas expressed in the Azerbaijani
mass media. They say while Iran-Armenia relations are extending,
Azerbaijan-Israel relations become wider. That is to say they keep
relations with us only to irritate Iran. If tomorrow Iran cuts
relations with Armenia, will we do same thing?
- What is Israel's position on Nagorno Karabakh conflict? Does Israel
recognize Armenia as an aggressor country?
- I can only recall ideas of some politicians. All countries recognize
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but it is unlikely that
someone recognizes the independence of Nagorno Karabakh. Avigdor
Lieberman said during his visit to Baku: "We support the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan and peaceful solution to the conflict. We are
hopeful that there will be fair solution". I have no other words to
add it.
I have a return question. How will the recognition of the Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity by the world union assist Azerbaijan to liberate
its lands. I don't think that the level of relations of all countries,
which have any position on Karabakh issue, will make the UN Security
Council to recognize Armenia as an aggressor country. If it doesn't
succeed, why one should need to spend money and forces to show Armenia
to the world as an aggressor?
I think that the world knows who is who, but the world leaders prefer
economical and political dividends in these cases not conscious
and common sense. When several "interested sides" lose interest in
empire ambitious of Armenia then the formula of fair settlement of
the Nagorno Karabkah will be found.
- US-based "Foreign Policy" newspaper published that Azerbaijan
allowed Israel to use its military airdromes. How it can be true?
-I will answer the question with question. Is it good for anyone? Who
can be interested in releasing "secret information" on joint
preparations of Azerbaijan and Israel against Iran? Azerbaijan and
Israel have enough economical and political enemies. It is not secret
that welfare and wealth of Azerbaijan keep some forces on the run.
Many people want to break economical and political stability in the
republic for the sake of own political and economical interests.
All of us are at war, at information war. This war has no rule and
honesty. The main weapon in this war is provocation and abasement.
First they slander you and then force you justify yourself. I liked
the statements by some Azerbaijani officials that can be expressed
by a phrase: "Don't interfere in our affairs, mind you own business".
We will know how real it is after that these events finish. Of course,
if they happen. May be it will never happen.
- Does Israel need Azerbaijan's help when the war starts with Iran?
Azerbaijan said that it has friendly relations with Iran.
- In my opinion, all "interested" parties will coordinate everything
before the war starts. May be the war has not started yet because
the parties hadn't reached an agreement. In my opinion, Israel is
interested to use Azerbaijan's energy potential during a peace period,
because it will be difficult to use this potential during the war
because of possible sanctions by political and economic groups of
the Middle East.
I think that you must be interested in the question "Will Israel side
Azerbaijan if Azerbaijan starts war with Armenia?" In my opinion it
is easier to say "yes" to that question than "no".
- The start of war in the region will make Israel face-to-face with
Turkey. The relations between the two countries are not so good in
recent years.
- If you mean the war with Iran, I think that this issue is the same
with Azerbaijan. Israel can attack Iran, but the war will be continued
within a coalition led only by the US. Most probably we will be in
coalition with Turkey.
If we talk about the developments in Syria, which are beyond the
control of the world community and country's leadership, strange as it
may seem, we have the same interests with Turkey in the possible war.
If Bashar al-Assad's government provokes Israel, I don't think that
the Turkish government will help him.
- Is the Israeli Knesset going to recognize the Khojaly genocide? Did
the MPs make such proposal?
- I am not sure that our Knesset is ready to recognize any genocide.
In my opinion the Knesset will be engaged most of all in early
elections next 4-5 months. After the elections it will be possible to
discuss this issue as soon as the coalition government establishes. In
principle, there are people in the Knesset who can undertake the
settlement of this issue. The question is in the initiative. Except
the appeals made under the auspices of Azerbaijan-Israel International
Association, nobody had ever addressed them. Azerbaijani diaspora
representatives have a chance to press the issue, but we mustn't be
the initiators.
From: A. Papazian
APA
May 3 2012
Azerbaijan
"There is no serious partner of Israel in the region, but Azerbaijan"
"All countries are at war, which has no rule and honesty"
Tel Aviv. Farid Akbarov - APA. Interview with Israeli political
analyst Yuriy Bocharov
- How do you value the current phase of Israel-Azerbaijan relations?
- I think we are on the summit of cooperation. Of course, I would like
to see better and wider relations. We would like the relations to pass
from the level of leadership into wider level - the level of ordinary
people and to cover business, tourism, culture and education. I think
our foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman's last visit to Baku aimed to
widen relations in many spheres. The signed agreements and memorandums
could be examples.
- Could Azerbaijan be considered as the main partner of Israel in
the South Caucasus?
- There is no serious partner of Israel in the region, but Azerbaijan,
because Azerbaijan is the strongest and leading republic in the
South Caucasus. We would like to be friend of everyone, including
Armenia and Georgia, but our relations with those countries can not
be compared with our relations with Azerbaijan.
However I am concerned about some ideas expressed in the Azerbaijani
mass media. They say while Iran-Armenia relations are extending,
Azerbaijan-Israel relations become wider. That is to say they keep
relations with us only to irritate Iran. If tomorrow Iran cuts
relations with Armenia, will we do same thing?
- What is Israel's position on Nagorno Karabakh conflict? Does Israel
recognize Armenia as an aggressor country?
- I can only recall ideas of some politicians. All countries recognize
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but it is unlikely that
someone recognizes the independence of Nagorno Karabakh. Avigdor
Lieberman said during his visit to Baku: "We support the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan and peaceful solution to the conflict. We are
hopeful that there will be fair solution". I have no other words to
add it.
I have a return question. How will the recognition of the Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity by the world union assist Azerbaijan to liberate
its lands. I don't think that the level of relations of all countries,
which have any position on Karabakh issue, will make the UN Security
Council to recognize Armenia as an aggressor country. If it doesn't
succeed, why one should need to spend money and forces to show Armenia
to the world as an aggressor?
I think that the world knows who is who, but the world leaders prefer
economical and political dividends in these cases not conscious
and common sense. When several "interested sides" lose interest in
empire ambitious of Armenia then the formula of fair settlement of
the Nagorno Karabkah will be found.
- US-based "Foreign Policy" newspaper published that Azerbaijan
allowed Israel to use its military airdromes. How it can be true?
-I will answer the question with question. Is it good for anyone? Who
can be interested in releasing "secret information" on joint
preparations of Azerbaijan and Israel against Iran? Azerbaijan and
Israel have enough economical and political enemies. It is not secret
that welfare and wealth of Azerbaijan keep some forces on the run.
Many people want to break economical and political stability in the
republic for the sake of own political and economical interests.
All of us are at war, at information war. This war has no rule and
honesty. The main weapon in this war is provocation and abasement.
First they slander you and then force you justify yourself. I liked
the statements by some Azerbaijani officials that can be expressed
by a phrase: "Don't interfere in our affairs, mind you own business".
We will know how real it is after that these events finish. Of course,
if they happen. May be it will never happen.
- Does Israel need Azerbaijan's help when the war starts with Iran?
Azerbaijan said that it has friendly relations with Iran.
- In my opinion, all "interested" parties will coordinate everything
before the war starts. May be the war has not started yet because
the parties hadn't reached an agreement. In my opinion, Israel is
interested to use Azerbaijan's energy potential during a peace period,
because it will be difficult to use this potential during the war
because of possible sanctions by political and economic groups of
the Middle East.
I think that you must be interested in the question "Will Israel side
Azerbaijan if Azerbaijan starts war with Armenia?" In my opinion it
is easier to say "yes" to that question than "no".
- The start of war in the region will make Israel face-to-face with
Turkey. The relations between the two countries are not so good in
recent years.
- If you mean the war with Iran, I think that this issue is the same
with Azerbaijan. Israel can attack Iran, but the war will be continued
within a coalition led only by the US. Most probably we will be in
coalition with Turkey.
If we talk about the developments in Syria, which are beyond the
control of the world community and country's leadership, strange as it
may seem, we have the same interests with Turkey in the possible war.
If Bashar al-Assad's government provokes Israel, I don't think that
the Turkish government will help him.
- Is the Israeli Knesset going to recognize the Khojaly genocide? Did
the MPs make such proposal?
- I am not sure that our Knesset is ready to recognize any genocide.
In my opinion the Knesset will be engaged most of all in early
elections next 4-5 months. After the elections it will be possible to
discuss this issue as soon as the coalition government establishes. In
principle, there are people in the Knesset who can undertake the
settlement of this issue. The question is in the initiative. Except
the appeals made under the auspices of Azerbaijan-Israel International
Association, nobody had ever addressed them. Azerbaijani diaspora
representatives have a chance to press the issue, but we mustn't be
the initiators.
From: A. Papazian