Doubts Raised Over Azerbaijani Relations with Russia
Sep 2nd, 2010 | Category: PoliticsRussian President Dmitry Medvedev, left and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
By Adonia Agayan
YEREVAN, September 1 — “After the extension of the Russian base deployment in Armenia official Moscow is concerned about the announcements made by the Azerbaijani side and the possibility of ‘retaliatory steps,’ said Rasim Musabekov, an Azerbaijani political scientist, referring to the Russian President Dmitry Medvedyev’s visit to Baku.
On the eve of President Medvedyev’s visit to Armenia the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul visited Baku. In relation to this fact Rasim Musabekov said, “Medvedyev’s visit to Azerbaijan was initially scheduled for the end of September, but probably Russia realized that the at the UN General Assembly opening on September 9 the Azerbaijani side will submit a resolution. Within the framework of the session the Azerbaijani leaders will have meetings with the Americans, so Azerbaijan may show that it’s turning its back on Russia. That’s why President Medvedyev’s forthcoming visit was put off until September 2.”
“Russia’s support of the Armenian side may have negative and contradictory effect on the Russian-Azerbaijani relations,” said Musabekov. ”I think that Russia itself realizes that its support brings to Armenia’s refusal to accept the suggested Madrid principles and to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories. During Medvedyev’s visit Azerbaijan will do its best to find out Russia’s position, in the final analysis concerning maintaining the status-quo.”
“If Azerbaijan doesn’t feel pleased with Dmitri Medvedyev’s and Serge Sarkisian’s recent negotiations and Russia’s position on the Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) conflict, then Baku will quite possibly look for other alternatives — it can introduce the issue in the agenda of the UN Security Council or express distrust towards the Minsk Group at the OSCE summit,” Musabekov said.
According to an article published Tuesday by RFE/RL, Armenian political scientist Serge Minasyan, Head of the Department of Political Studies of Caucasus Institute, disagreed with Musabekov’s comments. According to him, Russia isn’t concerned about Azerbaijan’s measures or retaliatory steps. Instead, Russia wants to keep Azerbaijan within its sphere of influence. “Even if the UN General Assembly accepts the resolution submitted by Azerbaijan, then it will just have a propagandistic nature and will soon be forgotten.”
As for the distrust towards the Minsk Group at the OSCE summit, Minasyan underlined that if Azerbaijan makes an attempt to take such a step, then it will declare itself not only against Russia but also against the US and the EU. ”I am not sure that the superpowers will allow Azerbaijan to act beyond the limits of the Minsk Group,” he said.
Yerevan Report
Photo credit: AFP
