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AZERBAIJAN RETREATS FROM NATO AMBITIONS
Shahin Rzayev
Institute for War and Peace Reporting IWPR
June 15 2010
UK
Defence doctrine rules out first strike on other states, but allows
offensive action to recapture occupied lands.
Azerbaijan's new military doctrine retreats from a previous commitment
to closer integration with NATO and cites neighbouring Armenia as an
unfriendly state.
This was the only state in the former Soviet Union that did not have
such a formal statement of defence policy. After a 15 year wait,
the Azerbaijani parliament unexpectedly approved it on June 8, at an
extraordinary session lasting less than a day.
The defence challenge facing Azerbaijan is complicated by the presence
of Armenian forces in Nagorny-Karabakh, which has unilaterally declared
independence, and in several adjoining districts.
In the doctrine, Armenia is the only state to be singled out as
unfriendly, while no country is listed as a strategic partner, not
even close ally Turkey.
The document rules out military action against any state except in
self-defence, but in a clear reference to Nagorny Karabakh, reserves
the right to "use all the means necessary, including military force,
to liberate occupied territories and restore territorial integrity".
Azerbaijan's defence ministry expressed satisfaction with the new
doctrine.
"Work on this document has been going on for several years. The main
aim was to create a perfect document - a conceptual document capable
of securing the military and political security of Azerbaijan. I think
we have achieved this goal," ministry spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu told
a press conference.
But analysts were less confident, saying the document was conceived
in a hurry and remained incomplete.
"The military doctrine is of poor quality and is does not up to the
realities of today," said Uzeir Jafarov, chairman of the Centre for
Military Studies.
He said that in other countries, defence documents contained a
supplementary, confidential section, but the Azerbaijani government
appeared not to have included one here.
"Note that the fact that the word 'NATO' is only used twice in the
entire document. If we continually insist that our army is being
built up according to NATO standards, then Azerbaijan must pay much
more attention to cooperation with NATO, and this must be set out in
the text of the doctrine," said "I am very concerned that a document
like this was discussed and approved in just half a day."
Opposition politicians, too, picked up on the absence of a stated
ambition to integrate with NATO.
"Sadly, the document says nothing about Azerbaijan's Euro-Atlantic
choice. The National Security Concept of 2007 said that integration
into the Euro-Atlantic area was a foreign policy priority. This
military doctrine is a step backwards," said Sulhaddin Akper, a
former national security ministry and now deputy chairman of the
Musavat opposition party.
Elkhan Shahinoglu, head of the Atlas Centre for Political Research,
argues that the new document indicates that integration with NATO is
no longer a priority for the government. He also pointed out that
military cooperation with Turkey was not mentioned, nor was there
explicit reference to important neighbours Russia and Iran.
"As I read the document, I spotted these hidden, unremarked elements,"
he said. "Although Russia and Iran are not mentioned in the military
doctrine, there are hidden references to those countries' policies
towards Azerbaijan. For example, part 2, point 11says, 'attempts by
other states or non-state actors to obtain weapons of mass destruction
and means of delivering them would put non-proliferation regime for
those weapons under threat'. Isn't that really a reference to our
southern neighbour [Iran]?"
The passing of the doctrine came just after United States Defence
Secretary Robert Gates visited Azerbaijan, officially to discuss
military-sector cooperation such as allowing NATO troops to transit
the country en route to Afghanistan.
Boyukaga Agayev, head of the South Caucasus Research Centre in Baku,
noted that Gates handed Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyeva letter
from President Barack Obama saying, "I am aware of the fact that there
are serious issues in our relationship, but I am confident that we
can address them."
Agayev said one of the key points discussed during Gates's visit was
the radar tracking site outside the town of Gabala. Russia has a lease
on the base until 2012, and talks are going on about extending it,
despite Washington's desire to control the facility.
"It's probable that in the wake of Gates's visit, the authorities here
promised to re-examine the possibility of deploying foreign bases in
the country. This matter can be finally resolved during the forthcoming
visit to Baku by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton," he said.
In Armenia, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said the doctrine's
reference to Armenia contradicted the Azerbaijani constitution,
which bans the use of military force except in self-defence.
Other Armenian officials said the doctrine showed that Azerbaijan
was still planning to use force to regain Karabakh.
"I can't recall any other country where elements [amounting to]
a threat of war were included in the military doctrine," said Grair
Karapetyan, chairman of the parliamentary commission for defence and
security. "This is testimony to the fact that Azerbaijan is using
the same old propaganda methods, spreading the same old militaristic
spirit, and once again showing the world community that it will not
assist in a peaceful resolation of the Karabakh problem."
Shahin Rzayev is IWPR's country director in Azerbaijan.
Additional reporting by Naira Melkumyan, a freelance journalist
in Yerevan.
From: A. Papazian
Shahin Rzayev
Institute for War and Peace Reporting IWPR
June 15 2010
UK
Defence doctrine rules out first strike on other states, but allows
offensive action to recapture occupied lands.
Azerbaijan's new military doctrine retreats from a previous commitment
to closer integration with NATO and cites neighbouring Armenia as an
unfriendly state.
This was the only state in the former Soviet Union that did not have
such a formal statement of defence policy. After a 15 year wait,
the Azerbaijani parliament unexpectedly approved it on June 8, at an
extraordinary session lasting less than a day.
The defence challenge facing Azerbaijan is complicated by the presence
of Armenian forces in Nagorny-Karabakh, which has unilaterally declared
independence, and in several adjoining districts.
In the doctrine, Armenia is the only state to be singled out as
unfriendly, while no country is listed as a strategic partner, not
even close ally Turkey.
The document rules out military action against any state except in
self-defence, but in a clear reference to Nagorny Karabakh, reserves
the right to "use all the means necessary, including military force,
to liberate occupied territories and restore territorial integrity".
Azerbaijan's defence ministry expressed satisfaction with the new
doctrine.
"Work on this document has been going on for several years. The main
aim was to create a perfect document - a conceptual document capable
of securing the military and political security of Azerbaijan. I think
we have achieved this goal," ministry spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu told
a press conference.
But analysts were less confident, saying the document was conceived
in a hurry and remained incomplete.
"The military doctrine is of poor quality and is does not up to the
realities of today," said Uzeir Jafarov, chairman of the Centre for
Military Studies.
He said that in other countries, defence documents contained a
supplementary, confidential section, but the Azerbaijani government
appeared not to have included one here.
"Note that the fact that the word 'NATO' is only used twice in the
entire document. If we continually insist that our army is being
built up according to NATO standards, then Azerbaijan must pay much
more attention to cooperation with NATO, and this must be set out in
the text of the doctrine," said "I am very concerned that a document
like this was discussed and approved in just half a day."
Opposition politicians, too, picked up on the absence of a stated
ambition to integrate with NATO.
"Sadly, the document says nothing about Azerbaijan's Euro-Atlantic
choice. The National Security Concept of 2007 said that integration
into the Euro-Atlantic area was a foreign policy priority. This
military doctrine is a step backwards," said Sulhaddin Akper, a
former national security ministry and now deputy chairman of the
Musavat opposition party.
Elkhan Shahinoglu, head of the Atlas Centre for Political Research,
argues that the new document indicates that integration with NATO is
no longer a priority for the government. He also pointed out that
military cooperation with Turkey was not mentioned, nor was there
explicit reference to important neighbours Russia and Iran.
"As I read the document, I spotted these hidden, unremarked elements,"
he said. "Although Russia and Iran are not mentioned in the military
doctrine, there are hidden references to those countries' policies
towards Azerbaijan. For example, part 2, point 11says, 'attempts by
other states or non-state actors to obtain weapons of mass destruction
and means of delivering them would put non-proliferation regime for
those weapons under threat'. Isn't that really a reference to our
southern neighbour [Iran]?"
The passing of the doctrine came just after United States Defence
Secretary Robert Gates visited Azerbaijan, officially to discuss
military-sector cooperation such as allowing NATO troops to transit
the country en route to Afghanistan.
Boyukaga Agayev, head of the South Caucasus Research Centre in Baku,
noted that Gates handed Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyeva letter
from President Barack Obama saying, "I am aware of the fact that there
are serious issues in our relationship, but I am confident that we
can address them."
Agayev said one of the key points discussed during Gates's visit was
the radar tracking site outside the town of Gabala. Russia has a lease
on the base until 2012, and talks are going on about extending it,
despite Washington's desire to control the facility.
"It's probable that in the wake of Gates's visit, the authorities here
promised to re-examine the possibility of deploying foreign bases in
the country. This matter can be finally resolved during the forthcoming
visit to Baku by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton," he said.
In Armenia, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said the doctrine's
reference to Armenia contradicted the Azerbaijani constitution,
which bans the use of military force except in self-defence.
Other Armenian officials said the doctrine showed that Azerbaijan
was still planning to use force to regain Karabakh.
"I can't recall any other country where elements [amounting to]
a threat of war were included in the military doctrine," said Grair
Karapetyan, chairman of the parliamentary commission for defence and
security. "This is testimony to the fact that Azerbaijan is using
the same old propaganda methods, spreading the same old militaristic
spirit, and once again showing the world community that it will not
assist in a peaceful resolation of the Karabakh problem."
Shahin Rzayev is IWPR's country director in Azerbaijan.
Additional reporting by Naira Melkumyan, a freelance journalist
in Yerevan.
From: A. Papazian