FACTOR OF BRITISH CAPITAL IN AZERBAIJAN DISREGARDED AGAINST INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND: OPINIONS
13:23 * 14.08.14
The role of British capital in Azerbaijan’s oil, gas and energy
projects as a factor containing a war in the region has never
diminished.
The superpowers involved in the Ukraine and Middle East crises threw
this factor into the background, which took the region to the brink
of war.
This is the reason for the West’s efforts to organize the
Armenian-Russian presidential meeting in Sochi, under Russia’s
“chairmanship,” political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan told
Tert.am.
“I think the region’s oil and gas resources and possibilities for
their transit have for a long period been a factor containing a war,
as important as other factors. Huge foreign and domestic investments
have been made, and the West will spare no effort to protect this
capital and receive dividends. And the Western states – jointly and
severally – have cooperated with Azerbaijan, seeking to protect the
state from any shocks or war.”
This is the reason for the West turning a blind eye not only to
President Ilham Aliyev’s undemocratic domestic policy, but also to any
actions in defiance of security, focusing on all the security factors.
“Two years ago I had a meeting with the British Petrolium political
analysis group. I was astonished at their staff studying security
problems in our region. And it is clear that the resources are being
used to keep Azerbaijan from war. But other problems have recently
arisen in the region with the present geopolitical competition, which
seems to have driven regional security issues into the background
for a while.”
A cording to him, the South Caucasus policy may be revised, with a
consensus between Russia and western states over security.
On the other hand, no oil pipeline can be a guarantee against war. A
number of factors could be such a guarantee – Iran’s interest in
secure borders without peacemakers, Russia’s desire of geopolitical
hegemony in the region and the Armenian army’s strength as a security
factor. These are much more important factors than oil.
Gagik Harutyunyan, Director of the Noravank education center, believes
that Great Britain sis its best for Azerbaijan to get stronger and
richer and show aggression toward other states.
“Great Britain is pursuing its business interests. And if a military
confrontation arises between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the oil pipelines
will be the first to be blown up.”
Armenian News – Tert.am