Moscow welcomed the research and practice conference “Russia and Azerbaijan on the path of revival” devoted to two prominent dates in history of the states: the 12 of June – Russia’s Day and the 15 of June – National Rescue Day of the Azerbaijani Republic.
The event was organized by the All-Russian Azerbaijani Committee. Well-known scientists, artists, PMs of the State Duma and the Azerbaijani parliament, and other social activists participated in it.
Polad Bulbuloglu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Russia
Today Russia is experiencing a new stage, a stage of renewal. The newly-elected president Vladimir Putin, who had already been president, then head of government and now again has taken up this very high, responsible position, started his work. In Azerbaijan, the activity of Vladimir Putin as the Russian President is always remembered with a good word, because in 2001 he made his first official visit as Russian President to Azerbaijan. Practically since that first visit diplomatic, economic, political, cultural, and any other connections between the two countries have continued to rise. Therefore I'd like to express my confidence that, with his recent arrival to this high post, Mr. Putin will continue this policy of strengthening ties with Russia’s strategic partner, which is today Azerbaijan. We are confident that the path for a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be continued in the framework of international law and those requirements which are being put forward today by the international community, the Minsk Group, of which Russia is the co-chair. And I think that Russia, as the closest country in the region and as the biggest, the leading country in this region, should be interested in a peaceful resolution of this conflict. Otherwise, if the conflict goes into a hot phase, then, as they say in Russian, they'll wish it had never happened
Rasim Musabekov, political scientist, deputy of the Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijani Republic
Today, Azerbaijan has an annual gross domestic product of about 95 billion dollars. By Russian standards, maybe it's not very much, but if you take the economy of the South Caucasus, this is 80% of the economy of the South Caucasus. If you take the export potential, Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover is more than 30 billion dollars. This is 90% of the export potential of the South Caucasus. Similarly, if you take the financial assets, $44 billion today is the financial reserves of Azerbaijan. Let's say, these are the debts and assets of Armenia and Georgia with a minus. Thus it can be said that Azerbaijan possesses virtually 100% of the financial holdings of the South Caucasus. During the years of independence after 1995 in Azerbaijan, investments totalled $120 billion, of which 45 billion is in the oil and gas field. It's probably more than 90% of all investments made in the region. And all this is, of course, a very great success, a very serious possibility for the state to update the infrastructure and improve living standards. In this sense, per capita indicators of Azerbaijan are roughly 10 thousand dollars per capita. This is, in general, the level of today's Bulgaria and Romania, which are members of the European Union. And the dynamics of the increase is continuing.
In principle, the critics can always say that it's all from oil. Yes, a big part of our economy is, of course, the oil industry. But I just want to say that it is so for Nigeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and for even Iraq was a new industry, even for Norway oil is a new industry, in a way, an accidental enrichment. For Azerbaijan, oil is the traditional sphere of industry. We have been producing oil and gas for 150 years. And as geologists tell me, at least for the next 50 years, the opportunities of the discovered oilfields will allow us to provide a high level of production of both oil and gas. It is clear that the economy has diversified. During the last two years the oil industry has been increasing; the gas industry will still be growing, but the oil industry will not. Yet the non-oil industry increased at a great rate, by 16%, over the past year. In general, the non-oil sector grew by almost 10% and fully compensated for the fall that occurred in the oil sector. Once again, the economy gives some opportunities for the state, and it is important to take advantage of these opportunities. The infrastructure is developing actively; very serious investments are being made in education and healthcare, and spheres of industry are developing that are entirely new for Azerbaijan - ICT, technology parks. I think, in a sense, the economy of the future Azerbaijan is formed due to the revenues from oil. Very close attention is paid to the direction of students for education abroad, because eventually the country will be moved forward by people. Roads are very important, the walls of new homes are important too, but more important are young well-educated Azerbaijanis.
Alesker Tagiyev, a member of the Presidium of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress (AAC), vice-President of the Union of Lawyers of Russia
The basis for our development lies in education and the good upbringing of our youth. But the current active construction in Azerbaijan, the fact that the city has become very beautiful, fairy-tale-like, is very pleasantly surprising. It is pleasant for Azerbaijan to invite our Russian friends and guests; it's nice to invite our friends from the former Soviet states, now independent states. Therefore, in this respect, cultural exchange is very important. I would like again to say that, of course, what is being done in Azerbaijan arouses very pleasant emotions. We witness that every day, every year Azerbaijan is developing very actively in all areas.
Of course, much is being done in Russia too, in part thanks to the serious work of our Azerbaijani diaspora. Of course, the political power of Russia is criticized by the opposition protest movement, but we can say one thing: the greatest achievement of the current political power is the current Russian president’s ability to keep Russia within its present borders. Despite all the criticism in his address, this is the largest existing achievement. Azerbaijanis also appreciate this, and our diaspora is quite loyal to the state power. The work of our diaspora is aimed at ensuring the close connection of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan.
Stanislav Pritchin, Expert Center for the Study of Central Asia and Caucasus Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS
One of the key areas of cooperation is the cooperation in the energy sector. As you all know, in 2010, Gazprom and the state oil company of Azerbaijan engaged in the supply of Azerbaijani gas to the consumers in Dagestan and the North Caucasus republics. These shipments began In 2010, in fact, one billion cubic meters was then shipped, and each subsequent year, there was an increase of supply. In the last year the rate was 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas. It is expected that by 2012 the supplement will amount to 3 billion cubic meters, with planned production in Azerbaijan of 28 billion cubic meters of gas this year.
There are, of course, some difficulties, they are inevitable, and not only Azerbaijan is responsible for them, but also Russia's position on some issues. For example, Russia could provide her infrastructure for the supply of Azerbaijani gas to European markets, so that Azerbaijani gas would not bypass Russia. But this is a subject of negotiations.
In addition, the current situation with Iran makes Azerbaijan to ensure its security and billion-rate investments in the oil and gas projects. And that is why Azerbaijan is trying to define its non-contentious position in a rising confrontation between Iran and Western countries. Recall that in the framework of the Caspian cooperation there are a number of agreements which prohibit Azerbaijan from providing its territory for aggression against other Caspian countries. This is an agreement of the Tehran Convention, signed in 2007 and confirmed at the summit of the Caspian Five in Baku in 2010.
There are certain difficulties in the negotiation on a radar station in Gabala, but so far there is no final decision, and negotiations are continuing.
Therefore I think that today the political trust between our leaders allows us to resolve any existing conflict and find those points of contact and cooperation, which make it possible to support long-term good-neighborly relations.
Yulia Yakushevа, Head of the analytical department of Information and Analytical Center for the Study of the former Soviet Union (MSU IAC)
For the young republics of the former Soviet Union, where the political transformation took place in the face of one generation, the problem of gaining sovereignty and the establishment of political, social, and economic institutions, has a fundamental significance. Therefore the special symbolic meaning given by the post-Soviet countries to the key dates of our statehood's development is understandable and justifiable. These dates are not just red calendar days.
They symbolize the right of the state and nation to choose its own unique path of development, a vector of social and political modernization. It is no accident in Russia officially proclaimed June 12 as the main holiday of the country that marks the beginning of the modern history of the state as the Russian Federation. It is noteworthy that in 2012 we celebrate the 1150th anniversary of the formation of Russian statehood. And, of course, the date of June 12, 1990, when the first Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR adopted a declaration of state independence, was a milestone in the strengthening of Russian statehood. It is impossible not to note the high positive role played in this process by the adoption of state symbols and a new constitution that reflected the new political realities of the Russian Federation. During the 20 years of post-Soviet development these attributes of statehood have gained an important place in the value system of the Russian citizens and have become symbols of patriotism and national pride of the Russians.
For Azerbaijan, an equally important role is played by the date of June 15, 1993, the Day of National Salvation, or the revival of the state, when the national leader Heydar Aliyev headed the country, opening the way for a new level of development.
And today, when the process of globalization and cultural unification is gathering momentum, the symbols and attributes of statehood can be an important element of national identity and the identity of post-Soviet countries, even more so because in the past few years, the topic of search for the national idea and effective mechanisms for the consolidation of society became very fashionable in expert circles. In case of absence of such unifying ideas and symbols the vacant niches are being occupied by destructive forces, which, as a rule, affect the most receptive and most passionate part of the society - the youth.
For Russia and Azerbaijan, this issue is very relevant. Not high enough level of the government's work in the information space leads to the fact that even the most heroic pages of the history of our country either remain out of public attention, or are given in the most unexpected interpretations that can be clearly seen, for example, when monitoring social networks.
The same trend can be traced in the results of opinion polls: a week ago the results of opinion polls were published, which showed that most Russians do not know what event took place on June 12, 1990. 77% of respondents still do not know why they celebrate the Day of Russia on June 12. Moreover, only 16% of Russians believe that June 12 is a national holiday. 67% believe that this is just an extra day off and treat it accordingly.
In my opinion, these figures indicate the need for more systematic work in the humanitarian sphere and information of our countries. In the end, it is senseless to look for a national idea, without fixing in the public mind the bases of unity and consolidation of the nation. We cannot allow young people in Russia and Azerbaijan became zombies or Ivans oblivious of their kinship, especially since both history and contemporary situations of our countries show a lot of great dates, which should be not only known and remembered, but also treated with pride. Therefore, June 12 in Russia and June 15 in Azerbaijan are precisely such symbols worthy of becoming part of national identity and consciousness of our people. This, of course, will be an effective factor in the further development of our countries and an additional factor for the integration of Russia and Azerbaijan.
Here I would like to mention the practical project, implemented by our center. On June 28 a regional forum for cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan will take place. It will be held in Baku, which is very significant. In this forum our center will present the report. The authors are present here; they are Ismail Aliyevich and Alexander Karavaev. The report is dedicated to the prospects of cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in the context of Eurasian integration, a very topical issue today.
In this report, the group of experts from Russia and Azerbaijan present their vision of the development of cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in various fields, from economics to the humanitarian sphere and information sphere. And in terms of pragmatic interests of Azerbaijan in the context of the prospects of a joint project of modernization we consider prerequisites for the development of an optimal size of interaction between Russia and other European countries and Azerbaijan. We come to the conclusion that, indeed, there are now real opportunities for deepening the cooperation between our countries in a pragmatic and mutually beneficial basis, the implementation of mutually beneficial modernization project.
Ibrahim Ibragimov, an expert of the Diplomatic Academy
I would like to acknowledge the important role carried by the Foundation of Heydar Aliyev and Azerbaijani Youth Organization in strengthening Azerbaijani-Russian relations, since in recent years Russia and Azerbaijan both pay great attention to youth policy and youth per se as a general engine of the societies of our states.
For its part, Azerbaijan youth organization spends a lot of work to strengthen and develop cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, establishing scientific and cultural contacts, including yearly workshops, summer schools in Azerbaijan, Baku, which involve a considerable number of Russian students. There is a constant exchange of views, and I think that such contacts between youth organizations should be, of course, expanded and deepened.
Of course, with such actions we make a significant contribution to our future, because today, informing each other and the new generation in Azerbaijan and Russia about our countries and our cultures, we pass to them the connection possessed by our parents - I mean the humanitarian and cultural connection. And thus, perhaps, we provide a peaceful coexistence in the future.
Alexander Karavayev, Deputy Director General Information and Analytical Center for the Study of the socio-political processes in the post-Soviet space
I think, as regards Russian-Azerbaijani relations. Russian-Azerbaijani interaction, we cannot say that they have been too complicated. If we talk about the past 12 years or the last decade of our cooperation, for Russia this period which passed under the symbol and, say, under the emblem of Vladimir Putin’s rule, while in Azerbaijan the first decade of the XXI century began with the transition from Heydar Aliyev to Ilham Aliyev and his full approval as an authoritative leader with his own strategy, with his own vector. I think, during this period our relations, in principle, witnessed no strong reductions of the intensity or, worse, crises. There have been various difficulties, complexities, the moments when the body of our interaction was placed in difficult circumstances.
Naturally, we are in a difficult region: Russia and Azerbaijan are not Central European countries, who have long lived in the postwar world, for nearly a century, more than 70 years. We are in a very complex region, and the mass of external circumstances or active external actors, which do not negate one another, influence and build up certain conditions for our cooperation, and they are not always simple. However, during this time, I think, our leaders have found enough forces, and, as experience has shown, these forces were really embodied into concrete steps in order to circumvent the pitfalls and riffs that somehow appeared in the space of our social and economic interaction.
I will, of course, give a few examples in order not to sound too abstract. Let's emphasize, perhaps, three or four areas and compare it with what we had with other countries. For example, as you remember, a time when Russia raised gas prices. Immediately, a whole string of conflicts with transit countries, a very complex problem, which flowed in geopolitics, have impacted on human relationships. At that time, Azerbaijan was in a transitional state - it consumes Russian gas, and then it became the importer of foreign markets. Perhaps that's an example of this period of relations against the backdrop of the conflicts which Russia had with Ukraine, Belarus and other countries. It clearly shows how to circumvent the difficulties and how to solve problems in a constructive way. Of course, influential in many ways was the fact that, due to minerals that belong to Azerbaijan, it felt more confident both on the regional and the global markets. But nonetheless, it is one of the examples of how to avoid difficulties while actually being in a complicated situation.
The second point that have already been briefly discussed and touched upon in some the speeches, is Russia's position in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The matter us that, and this is quite fair, Russia operates with both right and left hand; with one hand it interacts with Baku and with another hand it works with Yerevan, without trying to put much pressure on Armenia, so that Armenia adopts a series of decisions towards normalization of relations with Baku. But, nevertheless, this circumstance - let's call it so, - this circumstance of a regional Russian geopolitics has not become a clinch, a dead-end area, where the relations between Baku and Moscow could enter, if other leaders wished so, for example, if in Baku foreign policy decisions were taken by other people. We do not have to go far for the example - just look at the relationship between Georgia and Russia, where intolerance and a number of irreconcilable actions eventually led to armed conflict in August 2008. Of course, here we must understand that for Russia is very difficult to find the key to this conflict, to approach this conflict in such a way as to at least maintain the level of interaction, and at maximum not to quarrel with the parties to the conflict. Therefore, we can understand the care with which the Kremlin operates. And I want to draw attention, again returning to the position of Baku, to the fact that during these years this circumstance has not become a limiter for our bilateral relations.
Finally goes the third point, which perhaps has not been mentioned. But as soon as the organizer of today's events - is the central structure of the diaspora, All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress (AAC), we must say a few words about how the diaspora and its structure over the years avoided those crises that arose in connection with the migration, trade and economic policy of Russia within the country. The fact that there were several unpleasant moments for the diaspora in other countries is related to the fact that some previously authorized procedures were canceled, and new complexities and limitations were introduced. And I should pay tribute to the structure of the AAC - they always found a possible power and resources in order to find clues to find solutions in the regions, in collaboration with the executive power in Russia, in Moscow, at the federal level. Although, of course, we cannot say that this work was done entirely successfully, and yet, again, when compared with the position of other large communities in Russia, the situation of the Azerbaijani diaspora is, in this sense, quite successful and sustainable.
VK: What do you think about today's conference?
Rasim Musabekov, a political scientist, deputy of Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Republic:
It is good that basically for holidays we do not conduct some events where we praise each other or just say some nice words, but, instead, held a conference at which, though briefly, we were able to survey the path passed during the past 20 years both by Russia and Azerbaijan, and most importantly to see to what extent the cooperation between our countries has been strengthened, and what are prospects in this regard. I repeat, even though the result of this conference is not the adoption of a document or some other program but the exchange of views, in my opinion this is a very good way to celebrate the national holidays which were well paid tribute to both by Russia and Azerbaijan these days.
How do you see the future of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan?
Rasim Musabekov: I think that in the region, Azerbaijan is the main partner of Russia, a partner who does not pick on, a partner who does not constantly request something from Russia, such as preferences in the supply of energy resources, as other post-Soviet states do. Azerbaijan is ready to pay for everything. Azerbaijan is ready to actively cooperate with Russia on solving problems in the Caspian Sea, the North Caucasus, but at the same time strengthen the interaction on the third international markets. Given the fact that Azerbaijan is a member of the Security Council, I think that this interaction is important for Russia, also within the UN. The potential to develop Azerbaijan’s relationship with Russia, and, importantly, mutually beneficial relationship is a very large and, I believe, it will constantly grow. The example is at least that we previously lacked cooperation in military technology, and now, perhaps, Azerbaijan is one of the main buyers of Russian weapons in the former Soviet Union, and it is a buyer who is not just borrowing something, but pays fully for all.
