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AZERBAIJAN, JUST GAS DEALS OR A WAY FOR CLOSER EU CO-OPERATION?
New Europe
http://www.neurope.eu/article/azerbaijan-just-gas-deals-or-way-closer-eu-co-operation
May 14 2012
Just recently, Azerbaijan had started to seek closer cooperation with
countries like Bulgaria and other EU member states.
There have been various bi-lateral meetings with the Bulgarian Prime
Minister, President of the Parliament and even with the European
Commissioner for energy, Gunther Oettinger.
Suddenly, talks over the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijani Nagorno
Karabagh conflict turned into discussions on potential gas deals and
future closer EU-Azerbaijani cooperation.
What is the game Azerbaijan plays?
One may think that Azerbaijan, once closest energy partner of Russia
during the Soviet times, is now turning against the gas interests
of the Federation by putting on the forefront its own interests,
both energy and diplomatic.
And who can blame it for? Once gaining its 'independence', it looks
like Azerbaijan is strongly committed to playing a mean game of
flattering and bi-lateral agreements in order to turn into Europe's
main gas source or at least as an alternative to the Russian supplies.
We all know about Nabucco and South Stream and the on-going competition
for the future of gas supplies to Europe. The game is carefully
planned and the rules strictly followed.
Not only the game, though. Its main players are quite smartly selected
- they are the new members of the EU, like Bulgaria for example,
those who always try to present themselves as 'correct' before the
Euro partners.
Or maybe Azerbaijani authorities rightly knew that before Borisov's
ahead to Baku for energy talks, there will be Van Rompuy to visit
Sofia, unexpectedly, exactly the day before and that the main topic
on his agenda would be not else, but energy.
Gas deals, more than obvious. Now, what about Azerbaijani aspirations
for closer cooperation with the EU? Nothing bad in those, however,
the former Soviet republic clearly stated that it expects Bulgarian
support for more active involvement with the EU.
And it will get it. Whether through bi-lateral cultural agreements
and lots of flattering, so from outside push, or through an inside
push which Bulgaria will be driven to make in order to satisfy the
European interests, even though its own might be at stake.
From: Baghdasarian
New Europe
http://www.neurope.eu/article/azerbaijan-just-gas-deals-or-way-closer-eu-co-operation
May 14 2012
Just recently, Azerbaijan had started to seek closer cooperation with
countries like Bulgaria and other EU member states.
There have been various bi-lateral meetings with the Bulgarian Prime
Minister, President of the Parliament and even with the European
Commissioner for energy, Gunther Oettinger.
Suddenly, talks over the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijani Nagorno
Karabagh conflict turned into discussions on potential gas deals and
future closer EU-Azerbaijani cooperation.
What is the game Azerbaijan plays?
One may think that Azerbaijan, once closest energy partner of Russia
during the Soviet times, is now turning against the gas interests
of the Federation by putting on the forefront its own interests,
both energy and diplomatic.
And who can blame it for? Once gaining its 'independence', it looks
like Azerbaijan is strongly committed to playing a mean game of
flattering and bi-lateral agreements in order to turn into Europe's
main gas source or at least as an alternative to the Russian supplies.
We all know about Nabucco and South Stream and the on-going competition
for the future of gas supplies to Europe. The game is carefully
planned and the rules strictly followed.
Not only the game, though. Its main players are quite smartly selected
- they are the new members of the EU, like Bulgaria for example,
those who always try to present themselves as 'correct' before the
Euro partners.
Or maybe Azerbaijani authorities rightly knew that before Borisov's
ahead to Baku for energy talks, there will be Van Rompuy to visit
Sofia, unexpectedly, exactly the day before and that the main topic
on his agenda would be not else, but energy.
Gas deals, more than obvious. Now, what about Azerbaijani aspirations
for closer cooperation with the EU? Nothing bad in those, however,
the former Soviet republic clearly stated that it expects Bulgarian
support for more active involvement with the EU.
And it will get it. Whether through bi-lateral cultural agreements
and lots of flattering, so from outside push, or through an inside
push which Bulgaria will be driven to make in order to satisfy the
European interests, even though its own might be at stake.
From: Baghdasarian