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AZERBAIJAN'S BALKAN POLICY
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Oct 2 2013
by Hamza Karcic*
0 2 October 2013 /
One intriguing trend in the Balkans over the past several years
has been the new and increasingly visible Azerbaijani presence and
activism in the region.
The appearance of this new state actor in the region has been
attracting attention. The Caspian state's Balkan policy has several
characteristics: high-level official visits to Baku and Azerbaijani
officials' visits to the Balkans, the convening of business forums,
and the construction and restoration of parks in Balkan countries
that contain statues of famous Azerbaijani historical figures. What
are the aims of Azerbaijan in the Balkans? Based on the trends in the
relationships between Azerbaijan and the Balkan states over the past
five years, several aims can be discerned.
First, Azerbaijan is aiming to widen support for its sovereignty
and territorial integrity. This takes the shape of seeking
official statements by Balkan political leaders about Azerbaijan
or parliamentary resolutions from Balkan nations. The aim of this
effort is to garner support and political allies in the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh. The Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina
in early 2013 adopted a resolution supporting Azerbaijan's territorial
integrity. Serbian leaders have publicly supported Azerbaijan's
sovereignty, and Azerbaijan has refused to recognize the independence
of Kosovo.
Second, Azerbaijan aims to institutionalize the memory of the massacre
of ethnic Azeris in the town of Khojaly. This atrocity was committed
in early 1992 by Armenian troops and has left a wound of sorrow in the
Azerbaijani collective memory. In early 2012, an Azerbaijani-Bosnian
friendship park opened in Sarajevo that is dedicated to the victims
of Khojaly and Srebrenica.
Third is the promotion of Azerbaijan's historical and cultural
heritage. A statue to Azerbaijan's first president, Heydar Aliyev, was
built in Belgrade. Bucharest also boasts a park that bears the name of
Azerbaijan's first president. In Podgorica, a Baku street was opened
recently and a statue of Azerbaijani poet Huseyn Cavid was erected.
Fourth is the promotion of Azerbaijani investments in the region. At
this stage, it is too early to judge this aspect of Azerbaijan's
role in the Balkans. If the heralded investments were to materialize,
it would be a significant new trend in Azerbaijan's presence in the
Balkans. So far, business forums have been held in Azerbaijan and the
various Balkan states. Substantially, Azerbaijan approved a loan to
Serbia worth 300 million euros for the construction of a 40-kilometer
section of highway. By far the most ambitious announced investment
is the 90-year lease of a property and the construction of a luxury
resort in Kumbor on the Montenegrin coast. There has also been talk
of Azerbaijani firms taking part in the construction of the Corridor
Vc highway in Bosnia.
Of the Balkan states, Serbia stands out in its relations with
Azerbaijan. Presidents Boris Tadic and Tomislav Nikolic visited
Azerbaijan while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited Belgrade.
Leaders of both countries speak of a "strategic partnership." Indeed,
only Serbia has so far obtained a major loan from Azerbaijan. On the
other hand, Azerbaijani relations with Croatia do not seem to have
the same impetus as Azerbaijani-Serbian relations. Over the last two
years, Bosnia has also taken steps to further develop relations with
Azerbaijan. Member of the Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic and Foreign
Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija both visited Baku. However, unlike Serbia
or Croatia, Azerbaijan does not have an embassy in Sarajevo but a
diplomatic representative. The development of Azerbaijani-Bosnian
relations will require more high-level visits by both sides as well
as the opening of an Azerbaijani embassy in Sarajevo.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Hamza Karcic is in the faculty of political science at the University
of Sarajevo.
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Oct 2 2013
by Hamza Karcic*
0 2 October 2013 /
One intriguing trend in the Balkans over the past several years
has been the new and increasingly visible Azerbaijani presence and
activism in the region.
The appearance of this new state actor in the region has been
attracting attention. The Caspian state's Balkan policy has several
characteristics: high-level official visits to Baku and Azerbaijani
officials' visits to the Balkans, the convening of business forums,
and the construction and restoration of parks in Balkan countries
that contain statues of famous Azerbaijani historical figures. What
are the aims of Azerbaijan in the Balkans? Based on the trends in the
relationships between Azerbaijan and the Balkan states over the past
five years, several aims can be discerned.
First, Azerbaijan is aiming to widen support for its sovereignty
and territorial integrity. This takes the shape of seeking
official statements by Balkan political leaders about Azerbaijan
or parliamentary resolutions from Balkan nations. The aim of this
effort is to garner support and political allies in the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh. The Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina
in early 2013 adopted a resolution supporting Azerbaijan's territorial
integrity. Serbian leaders have publicly supported Azerbaijan's
sovereignty, and Azerbaijan has refused to recognize the independence
of Kosovo.
Second, Azerbaijan aims to institutionalize the memory of the massacre
of ethnic Azeris in the town of Khojaly. This atrocity was committed
in early 1992 by Armenian troops and has left a wound of sorrow in the
Azerbaijani collective memory. In early 2012, an Azerbaijani-Bosnian
friendship park opened in Sarajevo that is dedicated to the victims
of Khojaly and Srebrenica.
Third is the promotion of Azerbaijan's historical and cultural
heritage. A statue to Azerbaijan's first president, Heydar Aliyev, was
built in Belgrade. Bucharest also boasts a park that bears the name of
Azerbaijan's first president. In Podgorica, a Baku street was opened
recently and a statue of Azerbaijani poet Huseyn Cavid was erected.
Fourth is the promotion of Azerbaijani investments in the region. At
this stage, it is too early to judge this aspect of Azerbaijan's
role in the Balkans. If the heralded investments were to materialize,
it would be a significant new trend in Azerbaijan's presence in the
Balkans. So far, business forums have been held in Azerbaijan and the
various Balkan states. Substantially, Azerbaijan approved a loan to
Serbia worth 300 million euros for the construction of a 40-kilometer
section of highway. By far the most ambitious announced investment
is the 90-year lease of a property and the construction of a luxury
resort in Kumbor on the Montenegrin coast. There has also been talk
of Azerbaijani firms taking part in the construction of the Corridor
Vc highway in Bosnia.
Of the Balkan states, Serbia stands out in its relations with
Azerbaijan. Presidents Boris Tadic and Tomislav Nikolic visited
Azerbaijan while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited Belgrade.
Leaders of both countries speak of a "strategic partnership." Indeed,
only Serbia has so far obtained a major loan from Azerbaijan. On the
other hand, Azerbaijani relations with Croatia do not seem to have
the same impetus as Azerbaijani-Serbian relations. Over the last two
years, Bosnia has also taken steps to further develop relations with
Azerbaijan. Member of the Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic and Foreign
Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija both visited Baku. However, unlike Serbia
or Croatia, Azerbaijan does not have an embassy in Sarajevo but a
diplomatic representative. The development of Azerbaijani-Bosnian
relations will require more high-level visits by both sides as well
as the opening of an Azerbaijani embassy in Sarajevo.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Hamza Karcic is in the faculty of political science at the University
of Sarajevo.