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Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani Bloc Has Formed

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  • Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani Bloc Has Formed

    Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani Bloc Has Formed

    Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
    Politics - 20 September 2014, 09:23


    The relations between Azerbaijan and the West are steadily getting
    worse. "In this, the country faces two choices: to scale back its
    support for the Western-led liberal order, thereby cozying up to Iran
    and Russia; or to fully embrace the West and risk regional backlash,"
    states an article by James Yan published in the Foreign Affairs.

    According to the Foreign Affairs, Russia does not have the sufficient
    potential to harm Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh. "Given that
    Azerbaijan is not a member of the alliance [CSTO-ed.], Russia -- if
    provoked -- could stir up conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh as a pretext to
    intervene militarily on behalf of Armenia. In fact, in a 2013
    interview with the Russian military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, the
    commander of Russia's 102nd military base in Armenia said that if
    Azerbaijan employed force in Nagorno-Karabakh, his base could "join
    the armed conflict in accordance with the Russian Federation's
    obligations within the framework of the CSTO."In the light of the
    threat of relations of Azerbaijan with Russia and Iran the country
    cannot make another choice but to end support to the West in relief of
    its neighbors, the commentator notes.

    The article reflects the new tendencies in the region as Azerbaijan is
    becoming Russia's key partner while Georgia and Armenia become
    partners of the West. Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian deputy prime
    minister, announced in Baku that sanctions against Russia have brought
    Russia and Azerbaijan closer. The Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia
    Polad Byulbyuloghli announced that Azerbaijan is undergoing pressure
    for its close relations with Russia. Recently the European Parliament
    has adopted a tough resolution, condemning Azerbaijan for its illegal
    treatment of human rights activists and reporters.

    Pro-Turkish lobbyist Brenda Shaffer published an op-ed in the New York
    Times which triggered a scandal. A few days after the publication of
    the pro-Turkish article on Karabakh the New York Times published an
    editor's note informing that the author had hidden her connections
    with the organizations funded by Turkey. In other words, the United
    States "unmasked" the Turkish lobby. And Radio Liberty said Shaffer is
    working for a strategic center run by the head of SOCAR, the
    Azerbaijani oil company.

    Interestingly, the attitude of the West, particularly the United
    States, to Baku is aggravating along with the attitude to Turkey.
    Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey are perceived as bloc against the West.
    And it is not accidental that the United States does not support TANAP
    gas pipeline project proposed by Turkey and agreed with the United
    States which is intended to replace Nabucco. On September 20 the first
    pipe of the Azerbaijani section of TANAP will be laid out in Baku. The
    prime ministers of Turkey and Montenegro have arrived in Azerbaijan,
    the prime minister of Georgia will arrive, the Italian prime minister
    may also attend the ceremony. Obviously, however, the United States
    does not approve the project, as well as Baku-Akhalkalak-Kars.

    Washington has announced about the meeting of Secretary Kerry with the
    Iranian foreign minister. Yesterday, in the result of negotiations
    several more sanctions were lifted from Iran, and everything is headed
    for the transportation of the Iranian gas to Europe. Iran and the
    United States dislike Azerbaijani and Turkish routes. Transit via
    Armenia and Georgia are the most reliable routes but this route is
    blocked from two sides, Russia and the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance.

    In fact, Armenia has appeared between the West reconciling with the
    Iran and the Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani bloc rather than its
    strategic ally Russia and the West.


    http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/32998#sthash.bZYykM5D.dpuf

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