I want Azerbaijan to stay on the path of sovereignty, prosperity and national dignity, Ilyas Umakhanov says

Interviewed by Vladimir Nesterov. Especially for Vestnik Kavkaza

In recent years, the extension of Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation at various levels and in various fields has been particularly noticeable. Political contacts between the two countries are developing, A key and determining factor has become the dialogue between the top leaders of Russia and Azerbaijan. We can also see an increase in the sphere of trade, economic cooperation, direct ties with Azerbaijan, establishing the subjects of the Russian Federation, especially the border near Dagestan.

Ilyas Umakhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, a member of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture, Senator from Dagestan spoke to Vestnik Kavkaza about the directions of Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation.

- Let’s speak about the inter-parliamentary cooperation. In what kind of spheres, topics, or matters is it most needed? When parliamentarians come into operation? And what kinds of questions can diplomats not answer?

-I would speak about the reassignment. Probably, this work is still carried out in parallel. But we must recognize that there are constitutional powers of parliament. Primarily a law-making and law, legislative support of the processes that occur in the relations of different countries. Certainly, the priority belongs to deputies and senators. We do our best in order to use this tool as actively as possible.

There is another constitutional duty – our constitutional ratification processes. We participate in the preparation of appropriate agreements. For these purposes we have tested formats for a long time: intergovernmental commissions, which on the one hand include representatives of the Federal Assembly and relevant members of parliament from our abroad partners. On the other hand, it is an ability of relevant committees, which also take part in collaboration and gain certain mechanisms, articles, tools, which include relevant agreements in the end.

If we speak about Russian-Azerbaijani relations, it is an agreement in order to promote mutual investments, which was signed at the last Summit of Heads of Caspian States. Now they should be ratified. Now the parliaments come into their own. Once the document is in the State Duma, the consultations in relation to its ratification will begin. 

- A meeting of the Russian-Azerbaijani inter-parliamentary committee will take place on the 25th. What other questions are to be submitted to the agenda?

- It is not so many matters in the agenda as we have agreed at some stage that we won’t include a lot of new topics for discussion in the agenda of our meetings, we will try to go into detail. That is why my first and main issue is monitoring of the decisions which were adopted earlier. They were adopted at our parliamentary committee, but also in the context of the intergovernmental commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

The second major theme is a theme related to scientific and technological cooperation of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. We believe that we need to extract all the good out of the ''engine'' of economic development in order to make our countries more competitive. And, of course, traditionally, this matter is related to the inter-regional cooperation, as the Federation Council as the Chamber of Regions considers the development of interregional cooperation as its top priority.

-Russian-Azerbaijani economic relations from the time of the Russian Empire were very close. But in the 90s, at the time of the parade of sovereignties most part of our ties were severed. Are they so close today? 

-As for the 90s, you are right, but at the same time we must recognize that these relations have been broken due to the economic decline of our countries, confusion and vacillation. Because the same situation in relation to regions of Russia, where all economic ties and tools, accumulated over the years, produce tools were destroyed. I believe, you had to make a lot of efforts not only to restore, but also in order to give them an extra push.

Look at the rise in 2013, trade turnover between Russia and Azerbaijan were 2.5 billion, in 2014 were 3 billion. We should note that the situation of global economy is not the most favorable.

I think it is important not only to note quantitative but also qualitative indexes. It is not just the exchange of goods, it is a very serious and branched relations, which include interregional cooperation ties. It was launched assembly plant in order to produce the KAMAZ trucks in Azerbaijan. We have recently met with Polad Bulbuloglu, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and he noted that this project has a very good dynamic. We had a conversation about assembly plants associated with combine harvesters, which also can be provided in Azerbaijan.

We have close cooperation in regard to the refining and petrochemical industries. We have a number of other industries and fields: hydropower. It is also a very promising field, including the use of our joint Samur River. After signing the agreement on the delimitation of the border and demarcation, all these issues are on the agenda. Of course, it will give an additional impulse to our economic cooperation.

- When we talk about relations with the former Soviet republics, it is primarily about language. About the Russian language, which united all the Soviet republics. What is the status of the Russian language in Azerbaijan today?

- Azerbaijan is astate which in this sense may be an example. Because historically it happened so, that the Russian language in Azerbaijan, was a language of international communication, because Azerbaijan, especially Baku during the Soviet era was one of the most multicultural cities, and was a mean, to call it that way, of economic, social and spiritual progress, because it was an opportunity to join the highest achievements of culture and art, and not only the Soviet one, but also the world one as well.

Today we are very pleased to note that Azerbaijan a number of Russian schools did not decrease from the Soviet period in a quarter century, not a single Russian school was closed. In Azerbaijan, there are 16 schools where the study is in Russian only. More than in 330 schools the Russian and the Azeri languages are studied. And in Azerbaijan in whole, 82,000 people are studying Russian in higher and secondary educational institutions and schools.

This is such a very impressive figure, remembering that a number of Russians in Azerbaijan is only 120 thousand. Imagine that 82,000 people are studying in Russian. Clearly, this is not only representatives of the Russian Diaspora. It is clear that the vast majority - are the Azerbaijanis, and this is absolutely justified. Because in the boundaries of CIS the Russian language skills  is an opportunity for promotion and employment of qualified and professional development, which does not exclude, of course, the possibility and necessity of studying other languages.

But in regard to the Russian language in Azerbaijan, I think that we all have a feeling of satisfaction. Moreover, I recall that in 2000, in Baku Slavic University was opened, a higher education institution; and in 2008 or 2009, I can be mistaken, branch of Moscow State University, and there are about 40 universities where studies are conducted in Russian.

- In recent time, in some republics of the former Soviet Union and elsewhere, and abroad, we can see deliberate distortion of facts, which are  related to the history of the Great Patriotic war and the history of the Second World War. What is the situation of this page of history in Azerbaijan?

- Every fifth of the Azerbaijanis fought on the fields of the Great Patriotic War. And I think it is deeply symbolic that on the Victory Parade on May 9, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his wife were among the guests of honor, who stood on the podium.

In Azerbaijan, there is a very deep honor of the memory of  departed,  dead, those  who gave their lives for freedom and independence of Azerbaijan and then the Soviet Union, authorities are  very attentive to the veterans, they  take care of the monuments.

 While there are certainly other examples, we all know, and Ukraine, and these attempts, it would seem, at first glance,  primitive, as an example, Auschwitz was liberated by the Ukrainians, just because of the fact that there were fighting troops of the Ukrainian Front, from this series, we have seen a lot. We can see  how savagely  obelisks and monuments are destroyed. The last example, when in Kiev commemorative plaque of Georgy Zhukov was destroyed. This, of course, does not fit into any moral or spiritual, just universal norms. All the time I remember Stalin’s famous phrase: "Son is not responsible for his father.’’ But today, the sons should be responsible for the fathers, for the memory of the great history, the great feat so it never goes into oblivion.

 And our common duty with our Azerbaijani brothers and friends is to transfer this memory to future generations.

-On May 28 country celebrates the Independence Day. What are your wishes to the people of the Republic?

- Yes, May 28 is a national holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Many members of the Federation Council, the senators, my colleagues, including me, intend to visit the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to participate in these celebrations.

With regard to the wishes, you know, there is a catch phrase of Leonid Brezhnev, he once said: "Azerbaijan  marches widely ". It was almost 30 years ago. I want our fraternal Azerbaijan continue to walk well, not swerved from the path, the path of sovereignty, national dignity and prosperity.