Wednesday, March 1 2023 10:52

ArmInfo. Russian expert Sergey Markedonov has summed up Russian FM Sergey Lavrov's visit to Baku. 

Explaining the reason for any visit is highly important. So what is  the reason for the Russian FM's visit this February? "The visit  marked the anniversary of signing the Declaration on Strategic  Cooperation. I would like to remind you that the document was signed  in Moscow almost simultaneously with Russia's recognition of  independent 'people's republics' in Donbass. Before 2022, Russia used  to call Azerbaijan its strategic partner.  A year ago, Vladimir Putin  and Ilham Aliyev announced a 'new stage' in the bilateral relations.  So, without being a EUEU or CSTO member-state, Azerbaijan got ally  status. Symbols play a serious role in foreign policy," Mr Markedonov  said. 

Context is as important as well. "We see that the  Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization, which used to be a unique  platform for Russia-West cooperation, has now turned into a  battlefield of fierce rivalry. The talks between Nikol Pashinyan and  Ilham Aliyev, mediated by [U.S. Secretary of State] Antony Blinken,  on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, are the best  evidence thereof, plus Yerevan's attempts to pursue a differentiated  policy, with the deployment of the EU mission in Armenia for two  years being a glaring example. Moscow is concerned over this all," Mr  Markedonov said.  

At present, Russia and Azerbaijan have a common stand on such issues  as rejecting "Europeanizing" the Caucasus and the OSCE Minsk Group.  "The Russian FM's visit to Baku is a 'signal to everyone' that Moscow  still considers the Caucasus an important regions of its interests,  and can adjust its policy to new developments," Mr Markedonov said. 

"Does the intensifying cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan mean  a certain new 'geopolitical U- turn' a 'volte-face' in the Kremlin's  approaches? I am not sure at all," the expert says. 

The past period did not see Azerbaijan drawing closer to the Russia  in the context of its relations with Ukraine (territorial integrity  is of special importance here). Recently Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid a compliment to his Azerbaijani counterpart. 

"Baku is not rejecting energy cooperation with the West. On the other  hand, the EU and USA are viewing Azerbaijan as an important  alternative to Russia's 'energy imperialism'. Of course, Baku's  short-range plans do not include Azerbaijan's accession to the EAEU  or CSTO nor do they include 'freezing' the nation's relations  Washington or Brussels. Moreover, Azerbaijan refers 'acceleration'  tactics in the Karabakh direction," Mr Markedonov said. 

However, the Kremlin's important task is now to put obstacles to the  "internationalization" of the Caucasus and retain its special role of  mediator in the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization. "True, the two  Transcaucasian allies are still clashing," Mr Markedonov said.