The Heydar Aliyev Fund invited Russian journalists on a press tour in
Baku today. A press conference was held, emphasising the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the role of Russia and
Russian-Azerbaijani ties.
Ismail Agakishiyev, assistant professor of the History Faculty of
Moscow State University, head of the Center for Caucasus Studies at
the Russian State University for the Humanities, said that interest in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is driven by energy issues.
He believes that Russian economic projects may play a bigger role in
improving partnership. Russia has been more active in the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. The USA could contribute to the
process the way it did in the 90s.
Alexey Vlasov, Editor-in-Chief of Vestnik Kavkaza and Deputy Dean of
the History Faculty of Moscow State University, says that Russia is
interested in security in the South Caucasus. The meeting in Kazan was
to be the final stage of negotiations.
The Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian Presidents - Ilham Aliyev,
Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan, had a trilateral meeting at the
summit on June 24. They discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.
Vlasov believes that Azerbaijan and Armenia cannot reach an agreement
on the succession of fulfilling the Madrid principles, yet their
negotiations may have results in 2012.
Baku asserts the view that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a
territorial rather than an ethnic problem, Vlasov noted.
Russian-Azerbaijani ties are developing in many spheres, including
military, trade and humanitarian. Ilham Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev
have common positions in many aspects. There are still improvements
needed in TV communications, science, medicine and space research.
Arkady Khantsevich, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nezavisimaya Gazeta,
said that Azerbaijan's image in Russia is improving. The Heydar Aliyev
Fund played the main role in improving it. The fund is actively
cooperating with Russian federal newspapers.
Khantsevich thanked the fund for organizing the press tour for Russian
journalists and the opportunity to visit Baku. He said that they had
been very impressed by the city and the efforts of the authorities to
fulfil the needs of its citizens.
