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Independence Of Azerbaijan Is Not Liked By The US. Why? Baku Is Doom

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  • Independence Of Azerbaijan Is Not Liked By The US. Why? Baku Is Doom

    INDEPENDENCE OF AZERBAIJAN IS NOT LIKED BY THE US. WHY? BAKU IS DOOMED TO BE AN ALLY OF RUSSIA

    WPS Agency, Russia
    DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
    October 20, 2014 Monday

    Last week, we saw active contacts of Russian Armed Forces with
    Azerbaijan. On October 13, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had an
    official visit to Baku. An unofficial three-day visit of a group of
    ships of the Caspian Flotilla to Azerbaijan was completed on October
    19. Representatives of the Defense Ministry said that these were
    preplanned events. Along with this, interestingly they coincided with
    results of the recent summit of the Caspian states in Astrakhan at
    which participants worked out measures for provision of collective
    security in this region. Probably it was not incidental that when
    Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Shoigu he said with
    satisfaction that "Azerbaijan and Russia established working contacts
    on all levels, in all areas of cooperation including the military
    field we have good dynamic."

    In its official report the Defense Ministry said that "negotiation
    took place in the situation of confidence and mutual understanding
    and had constructive nature. Defense ministers of the two countries
    discussed condition and ways of further development of military and
    military technological cooperation, as well as some important issues
    of provision of regional and international security and prospects of
    strengthening of interaction in the Caspian region."

    Along with this, analyzing relations of Russia and Azerbaijan we
    can hardly say that Baku moves in the wake of the foreign policy of
    Moscow. Azerbaijan is a competitor of Russia in transportation of
    energy resources to the international market. It defends its interests
    in this area harshly without looking back at Russia or at other
    countries including the US. Of course, Aliyev takes contacts of Moscow
    and Yerevan in the military field without enthusiasm, as well as their
    participation in the collective security system of the CSTO. However,
    Azerbaijan is pursuing pragmatic military and military technological
    policy in relations with us and stakes at rearming and development of
    its army primarily according to the patterns of the Armed Forces of
    Russia. Evidently it is not incidental that 57 Azerbaijani servicemen
    are currently studying in educational institutions of the Defense
    Ministry of Russia free of charge. In the course of the visit of
    Shoigu to Azerbaijan the parties discussed the issues related to
    broadening of cooperation in training of military personnel.

    Along with this, it is also possible to say with assurance that
    Azerbaijani leader Aliyev is a characteristic representative of
    leaders of the authoritarian type and is not ready to follow in the
    wake of someone. Reforming and rearming of the army, giving up of
    signing of an agreement on association with the EU and building of
    equal relations with NATO became distinctive traits of the Azerbaijani
    foreign policy in the last few years.

    Of course, someone does not like such actions. One of the active
    attempts to destabilize the situation in Baku was taken after the
    presidential elections in October of 2013. However, incomprehensible
    attempt of weak and frankly unpopular opposition to organize a kind of
    "color revolution" had no results. Inspirers of these events did not
    take into account the national mentality of the local population,
    as well as absolute support of the authorities on the part of the
    law-enforcement agencies and the army.

    This attempt did not escape attention of President Aliyev. He took
    unpopular measures similar to what was done in Russia in many aspects.

    Azerbaijan adopted a big package of amendments to some laws that
    regulated activity of parties and nongovernmental organizations,
    arrested or expelled from the country the most notorious opposition
    leaders and established stringent control over work of mass media.

    Result of such measures appeared immediately: the opposition was
    disorganized, channels of financing of pro-Western parties and
    nongovernmental organizations from abroad were disrupted and remaining
    "epicenters of resistance" shifted to the Internet. Rare and not
    numerous meetings with demands of Aliyev's dismissal and organization
    of "democratic" elections are aimed at reminding about existence of
    the opposition rather than at achievement of real results.

    In these conditions "maters of life" from Washington and Brussels
    decided to show a place to Aliyev. It is difficult to characterize
    the harsh statements of the West about breaches of human rights in
    Azerbaijan published in September in an interval of a few days.

    Whereas the address of Human Rights Watch to the Council of Europe
    with a call to pressurize Azerbaijani authorities for the purpose of
    liberation of pro-Western opposition leaders did not surprise anyone,
    statement of US President Barack Obama who mentioned Azerbaijan among
    the countries where the main rights and liberties were breached led
    to certain thoughts. Moreover so that according to the American
    leader only "the countries that respect human rights" may become
    "the closest allies of the US" because "support of civil society by
    America is a matter of national security."

    Aliyev actually received a "black mark" on the highest level. The
    leader of Azerbaijan was put in front of a choice: to become a
    "democratically elected president" like Saakashvili or "dictator"
    like Bashar Assad.

    We also should not forget about another powerful lever of influence
    on the Azerbaijani leader in the form of Nagorno-Karabakh. The recent
    aggravation of the conflict regulated exclusively due to personal
    interference of Vladimir Putin demonstrated not only fragility of the
    peace established there but also easiness with which it was possible
    to unleash a new war there. And it is not understandable still who
    has organized the provocations.

    In any case, there are no equals for Washington in falsification of
    facts and staging of impressive scenes intended for ordinary people.

    Moreover so when the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is already
    overheated to the limit.

    What for does America need Nagorno-Karabakh? The answer is simple. In
    case of beginning of a new war for Nagorno-Karabakh Russia will not be
    indifferent to the conflict. It is quite possible that guided by its
    international obligations in the CSTO Russia will side with Armenia and
    Baku will have to turn to Washington. And the aid will be provided,
    naturally, on American terms. Negative geopolitical consequences of
    such scenario for Russia deserve a separate article.

    In these conditions it seems that the Azerbaijani leader has one way
    out: pursuing of independent multi-vector foreign policy, strengthening
    of the army and resistance to provocations. He can also increase
    interaction with Russia and to try to play on various interests of the
    US and EU in the region because these interests differ very much often.

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