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Azerbaijani Foreign Minister's Visit to Israel Sparks New Wave of
Tensions with Iran
Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 10 Issue: 99
May 24, 2013 02:44 PM
By: Anar Valiyev
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov meeting with Prime
Minister Shimon Peres, April 22 (Source: Flash90)
On April 21-24, Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar
Mammadyarov visited Israel. This was the first visit of a high-ranking
official of Azerbaijan to this country since Baku became independent.
During his trip, Mammadyarov held several meetings with the Israeli
leadership, including President Shimon Peres, the Prime Minister and
Minister of Foreign Affairs Benjamin Netanyahu, the President of the
Knesset Yuli Edelstein and several others. During their meeting,
President Peres said Foreign Minister Mammadyarov's visit was
`historic' and promoted `good relations' between Azerbaijan and the
Israeli regime. Referring to Azerbaijan's `unique geographic
location,' Peres said Israel considered Azerbaijan an important ally
(Zerkalo, April 23).
Bilateral cooperation is developing fast. Israel continues to purchase
Azerbaijani oil, which constitutes around 30 percent of its
consumption, while Azerbaijan buys Israeli military technologies. In
2012, information was leaked to the press that Azerbaijan and Israel
concluded an agreement on a $1.6 billion arms deal (see EDM, March 7,
2012). Azerbaijan, however, does not have an embassy in Israel, and
Mammadyarov was cautious about commenting on the sensitive issue of
opening one there. `Everything has its time. Negotiations are going
on; we will see how they will end,' he simply said (News.az, April
26).
He also could not avoid the Palestinian topic, stressing that
Azerbaijan has always supported and will continue to support
Palestine. Foreign Minister Mammadyarov said that Baku would host a
conference on assistance to the Palestinian people in June (News.az,
April 26). The Palestinian issue was important and crucial for the
minister's visit since ignoring it would have deteriorated
Azerbaijan's ties with the Muslim world and with the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC), specifically.
Ahead of Mammadyarov's visit to Israel, Elman Abdullayev, a
spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tried to
present the foreign minister's trip as routine. `Being a member of the
[United Nations] Security Council, Azerbaijan closely observes and
cannot stay indifferent to the processes ongoing in the Middle East.
We are interested in the reduction of tension in the region. It is too
early to say whether the Iran issue will be discussed during the visit
or not. Azerbaijan has always supported the Palestinian people and
provided humanitarian aid to them. We want the Middle East conflict to
be solved by taking into account the interests of both sides,'
Abdullayev concluded (APA, April 19).
But some political analysts in Baku evaluated Mammadyarov's Israeli
visit differently. Vafa Guluzade, a former advisor on foreign policy
to the government, stated that the visit to Israel was to pursue
domestic policy goals, rather than to achieve any major foreign policy
breakthroughs. In his view, on the eve of the presidential election,
Azerbaijani authorities want to obtain support from Israel and its
powerful lobby in the United States and the European Union.
Furthermore, he stressed that close cooperation with Israel will not
help Azerbaijan to solve the Karabakh conflict (Turan, April 24).
Iran nervously watches the development of Azerbaijani-Israeli
cooperation. In order to pacify Tehran, one week after Mammadyarov's
trip to Israel, the head of the Azerbaijani presidential
administration, Ramiz Mekhtiyev, visited Iran where he met with Saeed
Jalili, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. The
sides discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries
(Zerkalo, April 29). Finally, Mekhtiyev met with Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the two sides discussed issues of mutual
interest.
Nevertheless, the gesture failed to completely mollify and reassure
Iran. Right after Mekhtiyev's visit, Iranian authorities arrested
Azerbaijani writer Khalida Khalid, who had been visiting the country,
along with two Iranian human rights activist of Azerbaijani origin. Of
those taken into custody, the individuals who held Iranian citizenship
were eventually released while the case of the two Azerbaijani
citizens - Khalid and her driver Shamhal Huseynov - will be considered by
an Iranian court. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin
Mehmanparast confirmed that Khalid and Huseynov are under the
supervision of Iranian secret services, and their cases are being
investigated. According to the Iranian official, Khalid and Huseynov
had been monitored by the security forces for committing `unusual
activities' and took action against them (Contact, May 7). The top
Iranian diplomat in Baku, Ambassador Mohsen Pak Ayeen, echoed this
explanation, arguing that the arrested Azerbaijani citizens had
traveled to the country as tourists and were detained after breaking
Iranian law. `Nobody is arrested in Iran without a reason. [Khalid]
was a tourist and [broke] our laws,' he said (APA, May 8).
In an effort to smooth over the continued tensions between the two
countries, the head of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Sheikh-ul-Islam
Haji Allahshukur Pashazade, visited Iran on May 18-20. He was
accompanied by a large delegation of parliamentary members and
religious leaders. Analysts expected that during his meetings with
Iranian officials, Pashazade, a native Azerbaijani, would discuss the
fate of the arrested writer (Echo, May 17). The religious leader met
with top Iranian authorities, including President Ahmadinejad; the
speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani; as well as Iran's supreme
religious figure, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei. During his meetings,
Sheikh Pashazade stressed the brotherly ties between Iran and
Azerbaijan (APA, May 19, 20; News.az, May 20). As of May 23, Khalid
and Huseynov had not yet been handed over to Azerbaijan, but the
Iranian authorities have softened their stance somewhat by explaining
that the two are no longer being held under arrest and that their
tourist visas had simply `expired' (APA, May 23).
Despite these modest steps toward resolving their bilateral tensions,
it is hard to expect that Iranian authorities will easily `forgive'
Azerbaijan for Foreign Minister Mammadyarov's visit to Israel last
month. However, at this point, Tehran lacks the diplomatic tools to
effectively pressure Baku from within. All pro-Iranian forces in
Azerbaijan have been marginalized and hardly play any political role
anymore. Thus, Iran will be forced to resort to outside pressure and
will continue its provocations, such as the arrest of Khalida Khalid.
http://www.jamestown.org/programs/edm/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=40927&tx_ttnews[backPid]=685&no_cache=1
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Tensions with Iran
Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 10 Issue: 99
May 24, 2013 02:44 PM
By: Anar Valiyev
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov meeting with Prime
Minister Shimon Peres, April 22 (Source: Flash90)
On April 21-24, Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar
Mammadyarov visited Israel. This was the first visit of a high-ranking
official of Azerbaijan to this country since Baku became independent.
During his trip, Mammadyarov held several meetings with the Israeli
leadership, including President Shimon Peres, the Prime Minister and
Minister of Foreign Affairs Benjamin Netanyahu, the President of the
Knesset Yuli Edelstein and several others. During their meeting,
President Peres said Foreign Minister Mammadyarov's visit was
`historic' and promoted `good relations' between Azerbaijan and the
Israeli regime. Referring to Azerbaijan's `unique geographic
location,' Peres said Israel considered Azerbaijan an important ally
(Zerkalo, April 23).
Bilateral cooperation is developing fast. Israel continues to purchase
Azerbaijani oil, which constitutes around 30 percent of its
consumption, while Azerbaijan buys Israeli military technologies. In
2012, information was leaked to the press that Azerbaijan and Israel
concluded an agreement on a $1.6 billion arms deal (see EDM, March 7,
2012). Azerbaijan, however, does not have an embassy in Israel, and
Mammadyarov was cautious about commenting on the sensitive issue of
opening one there. `Everything has its time. Negotiations are going
on; we will see how they will end,' he simply said (News.az, April
26).
He also could not avoid the Palestinian topic, stressing that
Azerbaijan has always supported and will continue to support
Palestine. Foreign Minister Mammadyarov said that Baku would host a
conference on assistance to the Palestinian people in June (News.az,
April 26). The Palestinian issue was important and crucial for the
minister's visit since ignoring it would have deteriorated
Azerbaijan's ties with the Muslim world and with the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC), specifically.
Ahead of Mammadyarov's visit to Israel, Elman Abdullayev, a
spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tried to
present the foreign minister's trip as routine. `Being a member of the
[United Nations] Security Council, Azerbaijan closely observes and
cannot stay indifferent to the processes ongoing in the Middle East.
We are interested in the reduction of tension in the region. It is too
early to say whether the Iran issue will be discussed during the visit
or not. Azerbaijan has always supported the Palestinian people and
provided humanitarian aid to them. We want the Middle East conflict to
be solved by taking into account the interests of both sides,'
Abdullayev concluded (APA, April 19).
But some political analysts in Baku evaluated Mammadyarov's Israeli
visit differently. Vafa Guluzade, a former advisor on foreign policy
to the government, stated that the visit to Israel was to pursue
domestic policy goals, rather than to achieve any major foreign policy
breakthroughs. In his view, on the eve of the presidential election,
Azerbaijani authorities want to obtain support from Israel and its
powerful lobby in the United States and the European Union.
Furthermore, he stressed that close cooperation with Israel will not
help Azerbaijan to solve the Karabakh conflict (Turan, April 24).
Iran nervously watches the development of Azerbaijani-Israeli
cooperation. In order to pacify Tehran, one week after Mammadyarov's
trip to Israel, the head of the Azerbaijani presidential
administration, Ramiz Mekhtiyev, visited Iran where he met with Saeed
Jalili, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. The
sides discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries
(Zerkalo, April 29). Finally, Mekhtiyev met with Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the two sides discussed issues of mutual
interest.
Nevertheless, the gesture failed to completely mollify and reassure
Iran. Right after Mekhtiyev's visit, Iranian authorities arrested
Azerbaijani writer Khalida Khalid, who had been visiting the country,
along with two Iranian human rights activist of Azerbaijani origin. Of
those taken into custody, the individuals who held Iranian citizenship
were eventually released while the case of the two Azerbaijani
citizens - Khalid and her driver Shamhal Huseynov - will be considered by
an Iranian court. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin
Mehmanparast confirmed that Khalid and Huseynov are under the
supervision of Iranian secret services, and their cases are being
investigated. According to the Iranian official, Khalid and Huseynov
had been monitored by the security forces for committing `unusual
activities' and took action against them (Contact, May 7). The top
Iranian diplomat in Baku, Ambassador Mohsen Pak Ayeen, echoed this
explanation, arguing that the arrested Azerbaijani citizens had
traveled to the country as tourists and were detained after breaking
Iranian law. `Nobody is arrested in Iran without a reason. [Khalid]
was a tourist and [broke] our laws,' he said (APA, May 8).
In an effort to smooth over the continued tensions between the two
countries, the head of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Sheikh-ul-Islam
Haji Allahshukur Pashazade, visited Iran on May 18-20. He was
accompanied by a large delegation of parliamentary members and
religious leaders. Analysts expected that during his meetings with
Iranian officials, Pashazade, a native Azerbaijani, would discuss the
fate of the arrested writer (Echo, May 17). The religious leader met
with top Iranian authorities, including President Ahmadinejad; the
speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani; as well as Iran's supreme
religious figure, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei. During his meetings,
Sheikh Pashazade stressed the brotherly ties between Iran and
Azerbaijan (APA, May 19, 20; News.az, May 20). As of May 23, Khalid
and Huseynov had not yet been handed over to Azerbaijan, but the
Iranian authorities have softened their stance somewhat by explaining
that the two are no longer being held under arrest and that their
tourist visas had simply `expired' (APA, May 23).
Despite these modest steps toward resolving their bilateral tensions,
it is hard to expect that Iranian authorities will easily `forgive'
Azerbaijan for Foreign Minister Mammadyarov's visit to Israel last
month. However, at this point, Tehran lacks the diplomatic tools to
effectively pressure Baku from within. All pro-Iranian forces in
Azerbaijan have been marginalized and hardly play any political role
anymore. Thus, Iran will be forced to resort to outside pressure and
will continue its provocations, such as the arrest of Khalida Khalid.
http://www.jamestown.org/programs/edm/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=40927&tx_ttnews[backPid]=685&no_cache=1
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress