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RUSSIA SAID TO BE PRESSING AZERBAIJAN FOR MONEY AHEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL VOTE
Yeni Musavat, Azerbaijan
May 25 2013
Russia is demanding that Azerbaijan pay 40bn dollars and concede
half of its energy revenues in exchange for Moscow's provision of
stability and support for the Baku government in the October 2013
presidential election.
The report said that the two countries have already discussed terms of
the demands unofficially on a number of occasions. The paper noted,
however, that Azerbaijan had refused to pay any fees to Russia,
something that has allegedly caused Moscow's greater anger. The
source said that "pressure on Baku has increased in visible and
invisible forms".
The paper stressed that different sources confirmed the rumours about
Russia's continuing pressure on Azerbaijan.
"There were speculations that the government was considering paying the
money. The latest of these reports came from a completely different
source. Therefore, we can say confidently that the reports about
Russia demanding money in exchange for supporting the government in
the election are widespread. If Baku is desperate and if it fails
to receive support from the West, it will have to 'pay the fee',"
the paper said.
The report argued that Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov's
recent visit to Russia aimed at normalizing the relations but the
18 May Eurovision scandal, when Azerbaijan gave nil points to the
Russian entry and later admitted a miscalculation of votes, further
exacerbated the tensions.
The paper went on to say that Azerbaijan is not the only country Russia
is pressurizing at the moment. It added that Moscow is unhappy about
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's reluctance to back the Eurasian
Union proposed by Putin and the country's European Union bid.
"As a result, [Russia's] Gazprom has announced a 64-per-cent increase
in fees for gas sold to the Armenian population. This alone has
sufficed to cause chaos among Armenians. Political analysts who are
familiar with Russian foreign policy believe that pressure by Moscow
will increase further," Yeni Musavat said.
[Translated from Azeri]
Yeni Musavat, Azerbaijan
May 25 2013
Russia is demanding that Azerbaijan pay 40bn dollars and concede
half of its energy revenues in exchange for Moscow's provision of
stability and support for the Baku government in the October 2013
presidential election.
The report said that the two countries have already discussed terms of
the demands unofficially on a number of occasions. The paper noted,
however, that Azerbaijan had refused to pay any fees to Russia,
something that has allegedly caused Moscow's greater anger. The
source said that "pressure on Baku has increased in visible and
invisible forms".
The paper stressed that different sources confirmed the rumours about
Russia's continuing pressure on Azerbaijan.
"There were speculations that the government was considering paying the
money. The latest of these reports came from a completely different
source. Therefore, we can say confidently that the reports about
Russia demanding money in exchange for supporting the government in
the election are widespread. If Baku is desperate and if it fails
to receive support from the West, it will have to 'pay the fee',"
the paper said.
The report argued that Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov's
recent visit to Russia aimed at normalizing the relations but the
18 May Eurovision scandal, when Azerbaijan gave nil points to the
Russian entry and later admitted a miscalculation of votes, further
exacerbated the tensions.
The paper went on to say that Azerbaijan is not the only country Russia
is pressurizing at the moment. It added that Moscow is unhappy about
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's reluctance to back the Eurasian
Union proposed by Putin and the country's European Union bid.
"As a result, [Russia's] Gazprom has announced a 64-per-cent increase
in fees for gas sold to the Armenian population. This alone has
sufficed to cause chaos among Armenians. Political analysts who are
familiar with Russian foreign policy believe that pressure by Moscow
will increase further," Yeni Musavat said.
[Translated from Azeri]