MILITARY DOCTRINE OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN – ANALYSE
Milaz.info
Oct 21 2011
Azerbaijan
South Caucasus and Caspian Sea region being a sensitive and
complicated area from the geo-political, geo-strategic, geo-economic
and geo-cultural point of view, open for foreign influences in a great
extent. Military doctrines of regional countries and their defense
and military policies implemented based on these doctrines also play
significant role in establishment and development of regional peace
and stability, as well as on the contrary in violation of stability,
in creation of tension and confrontations, crisis and conflicts in
the whole region.
Military doctrine being an officially announced system of views in
state’s military security field. determines political-military,
political-strategic and political-economic basis of its military
security, including the directions of combat preparation of state
and armed force, methods and forms of its implementation.
The provisions of military doctrine of every state may alter depending
on thorough change of military security environment, military-political
situation, as well as on internal political development and radical
changes regarding strategic choice. In this regard, revision and
update of military doctrine from time to time is expectable. In order
to evaluate influence of military doctrinal views on establishment
of peace and stability, development of freedom and democracy, people
welfare integration in South Caucasus, first of all military doctrines’
of the region countries (Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan), as well as
military doctrines of Russia, Iran and Turkey, which have traditional
interests in the region should be studies and evaluated in this regard.
The Center of Military Analyses and Research has prepared the document
“Military doctrines of regional countries – stability or the threat
of confrontation?” by support Open Society Institute – Assistance
Foundation. Today we publish the Military Doctrine of the Republic
of Azerbaijan.
Military Doctrine of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani Republic (AR) is only state, which did not make its
strategic choice in the region. Although AR proclaimed its main target
to Euro-Atlantic integration in its military security concept adopted
in 2007, together with not transition to democracy, it also has not
announced target to become a member of neither NATO, not EU yet.
Azerbaijani hesitations regarding strategic choice are also reflected
its Military Doctrine (after this, it will be called “Military
doctrine”), adopted in a hurry without any public and parliament
discussions.
Military doctrine “analyzes conditions, processes and factors creating
threats and preventing implementation of security environment and
national interests of Azerbaijani Republic (the article 1.5), as
well as bases on the principle of necessary and efficient defense”
(the article 1.7).
Analyze of existed state of regional security environment, including
security environment of Azerbaijan:
– its gradual complication and aggravation, especially after Georgia
crisis in 2008, its becoming more complicated and aggravated;
– increase and strengthening of military existence and participation
of Russia in the region, which is political-military ally of aggressor
Armenia, at the same time it is the leader of regional military block
– CSTO;
– arming of Armenia, defense of its land and air borders by Russia
– Continuation of Dagliq Qarabag conflict, war situation between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, increase of violation of ceasefire;
– Continuation of instability in S. Caucasus, RF gathering of armed
forces in this region under the name of fight against terrorism;
– violation of its naval and air borders by Iran Islam Republic’s
(IIR), which is its south neighbor, pursue militarist policy, steadily
develops missile and nuclear programs;
on the other hand, Azerbaijan, which although being in war, has no
military-political ally, is not a member of any military block, has
weak, undeveloped strategic and military potential and unable to settle
sharp military security problems since restoration of its independency.
Azerbaijan’s pursued policy in this field openly demonstrates not
answering to the indicated below provisions of its military doctrine.
This situation does not give an opportunity to balance the sharply
violated regional strategic and military-strategic state, to create
efficient situation for settlement of the conflicts, as well as to
improve security environment.
Strategic hesitations of Azerbaijani Republic, which is in the border
with authoritarian Russia in the north, authoritarian Armenia in
the west, totalitarian Iran in the south, despite announcing about
the choice of democratic way of development, its taking opposite way
acting in the same line of policy together with authoritarian regimes
instead of being in the same way with its natural allies, democratic
Turkey and Georgia, on the one hand, have a negative influence on
development of democracy and security in the region, on the other
hand, it does not meet the requirements of the article 2.10 (security
environment of the Republic of Azerbaijan is determined with various
interrelated factors in present existed global and regional levels
and in future factors which may be emerged) of its military doctrine.
Strategic hesitations of AR in its military doctrine on the one hand,
does not give an opportunity to get sufficient strategic potential, on
the other hand, not only demonstrate disloyalty to all sides, as well
as opens a way to doubtful attitude of its natural, potential allies.
This situation, of course, also does not serve to strengthening of
regional peace and stability, security.
It is stated in the article 2.14 of MD that, “Occupation of some
part of the territory of Azerbaijani Republic by Armenian Republic,
carrying out of ethnic cleansing policy in the regions of Armenia,
where Azerbaijanis lived before and continuation of aggressor action
resulted with destruction of economic and social infrastructure are
the main factor having negative influence on national security of
Azerbaijani Republic”.
In the article 2.16 of the document is truly noted that, “Occupied
territories’ by Armenian Republic temporarily remaining out of the
control of government bodies of Azerbaijani Republic damages not
only on national security, but have a serious negative influence of
regional security as well. This situation become worse as a result
of inefficiency of international union’s efforts in the settlement
of the problem”.
The provision regarding “continuation of stirring up the separatist
tendencies in different regions of Azerbaijan by separate forces”
is also reflected in the article 2.17 of MD. Certainly, though it is
not openly noted here, but considering of RF and IIR together with
Armenia is apparent.
>From these indicated reasons, Armenian Republic’s noting as one of the
main foreign factors having negative influence on national security
of Azerbaijani Republic may be considered right from the viewpoint
of enumerating of open and direct foreign threats. However, if to
take into consideration, Russian role both in creation of conflicts
and their managing, support of Armenian separatism, or in arming
of aggressor Armenia and its throughout support, at the same time
the scale of its negative influence on strategic development of the
region, including Azerbaijan, it is the main factor with deep strategic
character having a negative influence on national and military security
of Azerbaijani Republic. Regarding this, even mentioning of RF among
the foreign threats for any reason is one of the main problems in views
system of official Baku in military security field and demonstrates
strategic uncertainty of its political elite once more.
In the article 2.18 of MD, it is noted among “the other various foreign
factors complex having a direct or possible influence on national
security of the Republic of Azerbaijan” that, ….significance and the
role of military power in international relations, in implementation
of political and economic interests increases distinctly”. In the
article 3.2 of the document among the military and political threats:
“-violation of regional military balance and going beyond the defense
proficiency, including creation of military bases in the region or
directly near the state borders and water territories of Azerbaijani
Republic, gathering of army groups, increase of weapons and other
military participation;
– violation of Azerbaijani Republic’s state borders by military units
and armed groups, intensification of border debates or conflicts
take place.
However, if to take into account, coming of open and potential
foreign threats as well as military threats directed to Azerbaijan
mainly from RF, Iran and aggressor Armenia, it is not reflected the
ways of neutralization of this complex of foreign factors in the
military doctrine. This is an approach with negative effect not only
on stability and security of Azerbaijan, its long-term development,
but as a whole of the region.
According to the 4.25 article of MD, defense policy of Azerbaijani
Republic with the purpose of military security guarantee of the state,
is formed on the basis of military, political, economic and social
measures and serves to creation of efficient internal and foreign
conditions for implementation of national interests of Azerbaijani
Republic.
Creation of efficient internal and foreign condition in the modern
world, especially in Euro-Atlantic space, to which Azerbaijan intends
to integrate (according to National Security Concept) first of all,
is implemented by the way of democratic development, democratic
reforms and as it is noted in the article 4.26 of that document,
“carrying out of non-military measures – establishment, development
and strengthening of friendship, partnership or alliance relations
with neighbor and other countries”.
It is noted in the MD that “Defense policy basis on system analysis
of military-political condition in the region and its development
tendencies, evaluation of real and potential military threats complex
against (directed – author) Azerbaijani Republic and in order to
guarantee military security takes into consideration objective demands
and real opportunities, including the country’s geographic position
and territorial landscape” (article 4.27).
The present security and foreign policy of AR, including foreign
military policy, the character of its relations with natural and
potential allies (first of all, Turkey, Georgia, U.S., NATO and EU)
together with not meeting the below indicated provisions of MD and
its national interests, also does not serve to the regional stability,
security and democracy development.
According to the article 4.29 of MD, “Azerbaijani Republic does not
allow placing of foreign military bases within its territory, except
the cases stipulated in the international treaties, which it supports.
However in case of fundamental changes in military-political
conditions, Azerbaijani Republic has a right to place foreign military
bases within its territory or temporarily to allow foreign military
participation in other form”.
After the Georgian crisis (2008) and 25-years extension of contract
term (2010) of military base placed in Armenia by Russia, although
this fundamental alteration made in AR MD opened the way of necessary
steps in the direction of creation of military-political balance in
the region, not implementation of these steps until today increase
concerns in front of growing threats. We should also note that
even concluding of treaty about “Strategic partnership and mutual
assistance” (2010) between AR and Turkey, did not have a significant
effect on the actual situation.
According to the article 5.42 of MD, “committing of aggression against
Azerbaijan by any state (excluding Armenian Republic) at the current
stage is in the low level”.
Azerbaijan’s being in war situation with Armenia, which is
military-political ally of RF, easy potential of again stirring
up the conflict, Russian military aggression against Georgia
under the pretext of regional conflict in 2008 and as a whole,
increase and reinforcement of its military presence in S. Caucasus,
as well as despite of all international community calling, Iranian
development of its nuclear program and in the case of aggravation
of military-political situation in the region and around the region
because of rapidly spreading of national movement started in Muslim
world, assessment of less probability level of military threat coming
from Russia is a serious military-political mistake. This situation
is a serious threat not only for Azerbaijan, but also as a whole for
regional stability and security.
By the way, the same mistaken assessment cost very expensive for
neighbor Georgia. It was necessary to get lesson from this for
Azerbaijan as well without wasting time.
The Center of Military Analyses and Research
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