Sergei Mikheyev: “Turkey and Azerbaijan believe in Russia”By Vestnik KavkazaIn recent times experts on the Caucasus often say that Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey are improving their relations in the face of common challenges and threats, despite powerful Western pressure. Sergei Mikheyev, the deputy head of the editorial board of Vestnik Kavkaza, the Director General of the Institute for Caspian Cooperation, presented his view on activation of relations between Moscow and Baku and Ankara.- How can you explain the increasing level of cooperation between Russia and Turkey and Azerbaijan?- I think that Turkey and Azerbaijan follow their own goals. And they are right. I mean an attempt to support a certain balance of interests. Recklessly joining sanctions and criticizing Russia would mean serious worsening of relations with Moscow for Turkey and Azerbaijan, and it would damage their national interests. And the authorities of the countries are wise enough to understand that simply copying the activities of the Western Europeans who follow the Americans would lead to a loss of independence.Thus, neither Turkey nor Azerbaijan would benefit from this, firstly. Secondly, their position is connected with the fact that they believe in Russia. They simply believe that Russia will always be a serious player in Eurasia, and it is absolutely senseless and doesn’t meet their interests to confront Russia, trying to get America’s approval and Obama’s smile.There is another reason. I think Erdogan and Aliyev realize that the Americans have their own plans for their states and have demands on them. On the one hand, the Americans declare friendship and good relations, but at the right moment they will certainly do their best to interfere in Turkey and Azerbaijan’s affairs with their own orders, intending to establish more loyal and less independent regimes there. For example, Erdogan has recently experienced riots in Turkey. According to many Turkish analysts, they were directly connected with American activity and the Americans are blamed for stirring up the situation. In Azerbaijan the pro-Western opposition has been criticizing Aliyev for a long time and is ready to support different authorities which would be more pro-Western and less independent. The opposition is mainly financed through various American grant programs. And it is no secret. Along with the balance of interests and understanding of geopolitical reality, there is a vague, hidden tension in relations between the USA and Azerbaijan and Turkey.- What are the prospects of a union between Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey?- I think at the moment we should consider developments not in a trilateral, but a bilateral format – Russian-Turkish and Russian-Azerbaijani relations. Speaking about the bilateral format, the situation in our relations is good; their dynamic is quite positive, I think there are all the opportunities for development of relations in the future, including reaching consensus on various problems, for example, pipeline projects and mutual benefits in joint projects.
By Vestnik Kavkaza
In recent times experts on the Caucasus often say that Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey are improving their relations in the face of common challenges and threats, despite powerful Western pressure. Sergei Mikheyev, the deputy head of the editorial board of Vestnik Kavkaza, the Director General of the Institute for Caspian Cooperation, presented his view on activation of relations between Moscow and Baku and Ankara.
- How can you explain the increasing level of cooperation between Russia and Turkey and Azerbaijan?
- I think that Turkey and Azerbaijan follow their own goals. And they are right. I mean an attempt to support a certain balance of interests. Recklessly joining sanctions and criticizing Russia would mean serious worsening of relations with Moscow for Turkey and Azerbaijan, and it would damage their national interests. And the authorities of the countries are wise enough to understand that simply copying the activities of the Western Europeans who follow the Americans would lead to a loss of independence.
Thus, neither Turkey nor Azerbaijan would benefit from this, firstly. Secondly, their position is connected with the fact that they believe in Russia. They simply believe that Russia will always be a serious player in Eurasia, and it is absolutely senseless and doesn’t meet their interests to confront Russia, trying to get America’s approval and Obama’s smile.
There is another reason. I think Erdogan and Aliyev realize that the Americans have their own plans for their states and have demands on them. On the one hand, the Americans declare friendship and good relations, but at the right moment they will certainly do their best to interfere in Turkey and Azerbaijan’s affairs with their own orders, intending to establish more loyal and less independent regimes there. For example, Erdogan has recently experienced riots in Turkey. According to many Turkish analysts, they were directly connected with American activity and the Americans are blamed for stirring up the situation. In Azerbaijan the pro-Western opposition has been criticizing Aliyev for a long time and is ready to support different authorities which would be more pro-Western and less independent. The opposition is mainly financed through various American grant programs. And it is no secret. Along with the balance of interests and understanding of geopolitical reality, there is a vague, hidden tension in relations between the USA and Azerbaijan and Turkey.
- What are the prospects of a union between Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey?
- I think at the moment we should consider developments not in a trilateral, but a bilateral format – Russian-Turkish and Russian-Azerbaijani relations. Speaking about the bilateral format, the situation in our relations is good; their dynamic is quite positive, I think there are all the opportunities for development of relations in the future, including reaching consensus on various problems, for example, pipeline projects and mutual benefits in joint projects.
