EurasiaNet: "Some Armenian politicians see an opportunity to gain benefit from the Russian-Turkish conflict"

The US edition of Breitbart writes that Azerbaijan has to choose between Russia and Turkey. The last two months were uneasy for the Eurasian continent due to two conflicts that have unfolded between Russia and Turkey, and Iran and Saudi Arabia. These developments have forced a number of countries in the region (and beyond) to make a choice between the two sides. Azerbaijan’s geographical position is in the heart of the events, which is why the political course of the state has never been as balanced as now.

The Azerbaijanis are ethnically of Turkic origin, and the country has very close relations with Turkey. However, two million Azerbaijanis live in Russia. Despite the fact that the state remains officially neutral in the dispute between Russia and Turkey, it is obvious that the Azerbaijani leadership is facing a difficult choice between the two countries, which are partners of Baku.

On one hand, Azerbaijan has a military agreement with Turkey. The armed forces of the two countries regularly hold joint military exercises, and the next two have already been planned for 2016. On the other hand, the economic and cultural relations with Russia are very strong, the states continue to strengthen cooperation in various fields, in spite of the events taking place in the region.

In addition, Azerbaijan is becoming the center of the Caspian trade corridor, part of the new ‘Silk Road’ linking Asia with Europe. The plan on Infrastructure Development in the framework of the Caspian Sea for the effective communication of Central Asia and the Caucasus is impossible without Russia's participation. However, Turkey also expects to benefit greatly from the Caspian corridor. Turkish officials expect that the Caspian corridor through Azerbaijan will be cheaper than the other existing routes, and its use will enable the Republic of Turkey to gain access to the new markets in Asia and China.

In turn, Russia and Azerbaijan continue to cooperate actively in a number of joint projects in the spheres of trade and economy. To make a choice in favor of Turkey would mean a loss for Azerbaijan of such a powerful partner as Moscow, which could negatively affect the situation in the Eurasian region. The Kremlin is a key political player in the region, which is why Azerbaijan is quietly leaning to the side of Russia, while not interrupting relations with the Turkish side.

The media portal EurasiaNet writes about the political course Armenia has chosen against the background of the Russian-Turkish conflict. The Armenian political elite fears a worsening of relations between Russia and Turkey. However, some Armenian politicians see in this situation an opportunity to gain benefit.

The sharp deterioration in Russian-Turkish relations after the shooting down of the Russian Su-24 fighter aircraft has serious consequences for Armenia: the atmosphere of mistrust and hostility towards Turkey has become even more tense. At the same time, Russian-Armenian relations continue to develop in both the economic and strategic spheres. A great number of the Armenians live and work on the territory of the Russian Federation, and the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is supervised by Moscow.

The diplomatic relations between Yerevan and Moscow have a long history, and bilateral cooperation in the military-political, economic and humanitarian areas continues to grow. Of course, the Armenian authorities somehow try not to interfere in the conflict between Russia and Turkey, but it is clear that another regional player has chosen Moscow, realizing its geopolitical and strategic advantages.