by Orkhan Sattarov, head of European office of VK
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili concluded his two-day visit to Azerbaijan last week. Baku wants to cooperate with Georgia, primarily in the economy. On the other hand, it does not want to support Mikheil Saakashvili’s outbursts against Russia.
The visit proved devotion to further strengthening of bilateral relations. Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev called their ties with Georgia brotherly. Saakashvili thanked Azerbaijan for support in development and reminded about aid Azerbaijan has offered in hard times. The sides signed a memorandum on cooperation in statistics and cooperation in sports.
They agreed to intensify construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, opening a window to Europe. The first trains will be launched in late 2012. The leaders agreed to form a joint company for export of electricity. An official of the Georgian Energy Ministry said that electricity will be exported to Turkey and Russia.
Saakashvili made a speech at the Azerbaijani parliament and quoted Mamedemin Rasulzade, founder of the first Azerbaijani Democratic Republic. The Georgian president said that the two states “have always fought together against Christian and Muslim invaders, pagans and communists”, obviously hinting the recent Russian-Georgian war. Saakashvili called formation of the Eurasian Union an attempt to restore the Soviet Union.
Saakashvili’s speech was obviously a success, but anti-Russian attitude would be met with a lot more support in Poland or Baltic states than Baku. Azerbaijan has been sticking to a more pragmatic approach to relations with Russia, both during the rule of President Heydar Aliyev and Ilham Aliyev. Many officials in Baku expressed disappointment with Saakashvili’s using the Azerbaijani platform to criticize Russia. Azerbaijani MP Fazail Agamaly called Saakashvili’s speech “venturesome” and said that it was a stab into Azerbaijani-Russian relations. The parliamentary official also reminded that Russians entered the Caucasus on invitation of Erekle II, who signed the so-called Treaty of Georgiyevsk, allowing Russia to expand in South Caucasus.
Experts say that many share Agamaly’s position in Baku. Azerbaijan is willing to develop ties with Georgia, but sharing responsibility for Saakashvili’s outbursts against Russia is not part of its plans. Baku is concerned with the Iranian nuclear program, a problem with direct impact on Russia in South Caucasus. At the same time, Moscow is negotiating further lease of the Qabala radar. Azerbaijani, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers made a joint statement in Nakhchivan on March 7, an essential step in normalizing relations between Baku and Tehran. Turan reported that the sides confirmed the importance of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict basing on sovereignty, territorial unity and respect of frontiers. Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey confirmed that their territories would not be used against each other. The sides want to activate efforts in combating terrorism, transnational crime, illegal trafficking of weapons, drugs, people and illegal migration. They also plan to expand trade-economic, energy and transport cooperation.
Ali Gasanov, head of the socio-political section of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, said in an interview with ANS, that Azerbaijan would never allow its territory to be used against Iran, where about 40 million Azerbaijanis live. Azerbaijani defense minister visited Iran on March 12 to clarify the purchase of Israeli equipment worth $1.6 billion by Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is willing to develop ties with Russia, where Vladimir Putin has recently become the new president. President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the Russian president and invited him to Baku. This is why Saakashvili chose a very bad moment for making his anti-Russian speeches in Azerbaijan. Baku is not adjusting its regional position for the benefit of Moscow or Tehran and does not plan to provoke tensions.
Saakashvili could have done better at depicting Russia as a “common enemy” of Azerbaijan and Georgia by reminding about occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, calling the latter an outpost of Russia in South Caucasus. The Georgian president decided not to put his relations with Armenia at risk. Azerbaijan and Georgia are obviously allies, but they have differences at certain points. Politicians should take this fact into account.
