The minister of foreign affairs of Israel, Avigdor Lieberman, is on an official visit to Azerbaijan. He is heading a major delegation of experts on development a series of Azerbaijani-Israeli agreements.
The visit program includes meetings between the Israeli Foreign Minister and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, as well as other officials, including the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov. Moreover, Lieberman will participate in arrangements devoted to the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the states and the opening ceremony of a new Israeli cultural center in Baku. He will also meet the leaders of the Jewish diaspora of Azerbaijan.
In his first interviews to Israeli journalists in Baku Lieberman rejected the statements on connection of his visit with cooperation between Azerbaijani and Israeli special services or possibility of using Azerbaijan’s territory for a strike at Iran. The Israeli foreign minister used his brilliant humor sense and advised journalists to read less cape-and-dagger novels and science fiction. He added that he wishes the same to the Iranian authorities that state absurd things.
Lieberman said that Azerbaijan and Israel have a lot to do besides the Iranian problem. In the nearest time a serious enhancement of their relations is expected, even though they are already very intensive in the spheres of modern technologies, science, agriculture, culture, and so on.
Nevertheless, these words by Lieberman are considered ambiguous in the Israeli mass media. “Azerbaijan has been accused by Iran of close cooperation with Israel. In this context it would be reasonable to slow down development of the relations for some period of time. But no – the Foreign Minister of Israel comes to Azerbaijan and meets its top officials. Of course, Lieberman’s visit is a sign of Israel’s gratitude to Azerbaijan. But not only it. Something major is hidden behind it,” the Israeli periodicals report.
At the same time, they didn’t pay attention to the words that it is very important for Israel that Azerbaijan became the member of the Security Council, i.e. its voice might be crucial in consideration of Palestine’s requests on its independence by the UN SC.
The Israeli mass media emphasizes that during the visit to Baku the guest rejected to discuss the issue of opening Azerbaijan’s embassy in Israel, as he understands what difficulties are connected with this step for the Azerbaijani authorities.
At the moment the role of the embassy is fulfilled by the association AzIs which is considered in Israel as a representative of Baku.
etr Lukimson, Israel. Exclusively to VK
