"Azerbaijan is most stable state in region," Stanislav Chernyavsky believes

Systematic work of strengthening stability and developing the economy awaits Azerbaijan, director of the Center for Post-Soviet Studies at the Institute of International Studies of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Russian Foreign Ministry Stanislav Chernyavsky said during the Russia-Azerbaijan: agenda for 2019 video conference.

"It is fashionable among Russian experts these days to use two foreign words - turbulence and volatility. They refer to the current situation in the South Caucasus. The Syrian conflict is Turkey’s involvement, Iran’s involvement, Israel’s involvement. This is still restless Georgia, seeking to join NATO. And I hope, that's stabilizing Armenia. And I think that the most stable state is Azerbaijan," Chernyavsky is confident.

He recalled that early presidential elections were held in Azerbaijan last April: "They were held without any socio-political upheavals. I have repeatedly participated in elections as an observer from the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, from OSCE, and each time there were demands, some substantiated or unjustified claims to the election campaign. This time there were no objections, no reproaches. The whole election campaign, this whole process was carried out in strict compliance with the law and very well organized."

According to the expert, systematic work of strengthening stability and developing the economy awaits Azerbaijan. "On January 28, the president signed a decree on regional development. In this regard, it was decided for the next four years on the investment, the revival and improvement in terms of the regional economic situation. This is a very important step... So far, Azerbaijan has received revenues worth $91 million through its three satellites. Azerbaijan demonstrates the will to sovereignty, the will to be at the head of the non-aligned countries. Therefore, it is no coincidence that this year Azerbaijan is honored to chair the Non-Aligned Movement... Finally, a further meeting through OPEC also testifies Azerbaijan’s authority."

Stanislav Chernyavsky expressed the view that Azerbaijani diplomats play a great role in this process: "Professional Azerbaijani diplomats were trained over the past ten years. They are very professional. One of the results of their highly professional work is the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, signed in Aktau, which was a key point in the further practical implementation of the convention on the situation in the Caspian: the goal of almost 30 years was achieved; the mechanism of five Caspian countries, which will continue to deal with the practical implementation of the agreements, was preserved. 

"And the most important international event related to Azerbaijan for me is, of course, the upcoming opening of a branch of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in Baku, from which I graduated," Chernyavsky admitted.