Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani Bloc Has Formed
Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Politics – 20 September 2014, 09:23
The relations between Azerbaijan and the West are steadily getting
worse. “In this, the country faces two choices: to scale back its
support for the Western-led liberal order, thereby cozying up to Iran
and Russia; or to fully embrace the West and risk regional backlash,”
states an article by James Yan published in the Foreign Affairs.
According to the Foreign Affairs, Russia does not have the sufficient
potential to harm Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh. “Given that
Azerbaijan is not a member of the alliance [CSTO-ed.], Russia — if
provoked — could stir up conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh as a pretext to
intervene militarily on behalf of Armenia. In fact, in a 2013
interview with the Russian military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, the
commander of Russia’s 102nd military base in Armenia said that if
Azerbaijan employed force in Nagorno-Karabakh, his base could “join
the armed conflict in accordance with the Russian Federation’s
obligations within the framework of the CSTO.”In the light of the
threat of relations of Azerbaijan with Russia and Iran the country
cannot make another choice but to end support to the West in relief of
its neighbors, the commentator notes.
The article reflects the new tendencies in the region as Azerbaijan is
becoming Russia’s key partner while Georgia and Armenia become
partners of the West. Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian deputy prime
minister, announced in Baku that sanctions against Russia have brought
Russia and Azerbaijan closer. The Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia
Polad Byulbyuloghli announced that Azerbaijan is undergoing pressure
for its close relations with Russia. Recently the European Parliament
has adopted a tough resolution, condemning Azerbaijan for its illegal
treatment of human rights activists and reporters.
Pro-Turkish lobbyist Brenda Shaffer published an op-ed in the New York
Times which triggered a scandal. A few days after the publication of
the pro-Turkish article on Karabakh the New York Times published an
editor’s note informing that the author had hidden her connections
with the organizations funded by Turkey. In other words, the United
States “unmasked” the Turkish lobby. And Radio Liberty said Shaffer is
working for a strategic center run by the head of SOCAR, the
Azerbaijani oil company.
Interestingly, the attitude of the West, particularly the United
States, to Baku is aggravating along with the attitude to Turkey.
Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey are perceived as bloc against the West.
And it is not accidental that the United States does not support TANAP
gas pipeline project proposed by Turkey and agreed with the United
States which is intended to replace Nabucco. On September 20 the first
pipe of the Azerbaijani section of TANAP will be laid out in Baku. The
prime ministers of Turkey and Montenegro have arrived in Azerbaijan,
the prime minister of Georgia will arrive, the Italian prime minister
may also attend the ceremony. Obviously, however, the United States
does not approve the project, as well as Baku-Akhalkalak-Kars.
Washington has announced about the meeting of Secretary Kerry with the
Iranian foreign minister. Yesterday, in the result of negotiations
several more sanctions were lifted from Iran, and everything is headed
for the transportation of the Iranian gas to Europe. Iran and the
United States dislike Azerbaijani and Turkish routes. Transit via
Armenia and Georgia are the most reliable routes but this route is
blocked from two sides, Russia and the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance.
In fact, Armenia has appeared between the West reconciling with the
Iran and the Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani bloc rather than its
strategic ally Russia and the West.