Tweet
WHAT'S THE REAL REASON BEHIND PUTIN'S VISIT TO BAKU?
Georgia Today, Georgia
Aug 15 2013
By Zaza Jgharkava
16.08.2013
Two months after the anti-Russian rally held in Yerevan, Russian
President Vladimir Putin arrived in Baku. For this visit, Russian
vessels of the Caspian fleet made a friendly entrance at Baku port -
among those was the main missile reconnaisance vessel of the Dagestan
fleet - missiles of which can destroy enemies below and above the
water at the same time.
Nevertheless, the entrance of Dagestan to the Baku port is not the
main intrigue of the Azerbaijani visit. Putin arrived to meet his
counterpart Aliyev with a large delegation that included Russsian
Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov; Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygu;
Energy Minister, Alexander Novak, as well as the presidents of the
companies Rosneft and Lukoil.
The "Baku Declaration", signed on Tuesday has nothing but futile
words and phrases. And there is nothing new in dividing the Caucasus
Sea bed. Upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union it was decided to
divide the bed into sectors by keeping free navigation on the surface
of the sea or the lake. However, it was not officially signed.
As for Russia's participation in obtaining oil in the Azerbaijani
sector of the Caspian shelf, the Russian company Lukoil was part of
the process back when the Russian Foreign Ministry made "furious"
statements against the single-sided exploitation of the riches of
the Caspian Sea. Interestingly, the owner of Lukoil is Azerbaijani
multi-millionaire Vagif Alekperov.
It would be nonsense to say that Putin's visit to Azerbaijan
means a change in Russian politics in the South Caucasus- that in
exchange for returning Karabakh, Azerbaijan will give back the Gabala
radio-locational base to Russia and so on. In fact, Russia will never
betray its strategic partner in the region - Armenia. Yerevan was
receiving firsthand information about the negotiations in Baku. This
is why Armenians took the visit quite calmly.
So then what was the goal of this move?
First of all, with this visit Putin showed the West that Russia's
position and influence in the South Caucasus are still strong.
Nevertheless, it is doubtful that by demonstrating it, the Kremlin
will gain more leverage to ruin the oil project than it currently has.
The second goal is obviously connected to Georgia.
Unlike that "crazy Saakashvili", Aliyev has pursued the "right"
politics towards Moscow. Especially the fact that Putin highlighted
in his speech that Russia does not plan to act the same way as in
other Caucasian conflicts.
Generally, Azerbaijan is stronger than Georgia in all aspects. In
Azerbaijan, society is much more consolidated than in Georgia.
This is why by creating "political impressions" Putin has tried, quite
successfully, to activate the geopolitical discussion in Georgia and
strengthen the positions of those who are against Georgia's current
pro-Western course.
This political approach has seen its first results. As assumed, the
process of dissolving the Georgian Dream Coalition and strengthening
the Kremlin's main pillar - former parliamentary speaker Nino
Burjanadze - has begun. And it means full isolation of Pro-western
powers within the ruling coalition.
Despite all that, the real addressee of Putin's visit was not
Baku, Yerevan or Tbilisi. It was Ankara. As Leonid Gusev, Moscow's
International Relations Institute researcher says, the main reason
behind Putin's visit to Baku is the issue of cooperation on military
issues. According to the researcher, this is why Defense Minister
Sergey Shoygu was included among the delegation.
"Putin took Shoygu because the news spread before the visit that Turkey
and Azerbaijan were planning to create a joint army that Georgia
could also join. Turkey is a NATO member. Of course, it is early to
say anything concrete, but if tight movement starts with the Turkish
army, it will cause Russia's legitimate interest," Gusev says.
The idea of creating a joint army was raised by Turkey's Prime
Minister Erdogan after the 2008 August War. He suggested to the then
Prime Minister of Russia to create a joint peacekeeping army in the
Caucasus that would include army units of the Caucasus countries
and Russia. The mission of this military contingent would fulfill
the peace mission in the Caucasian conflicts. Back then, Putin left
Erdogan's proposal unanswered. But now it is time to respond.
After Azerbaijan rejected Nabucco and gave preference to TAP, prospects
for cooperation with Baku on energy issues opened for Moscow. Thus,
President Putin would not go to Baku with empty hands.
More details on the results of President Putin's Baku visit will
probably be revealed later.
http://www.georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=11392
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Georgia Today, Georgia
Aug 15 2013
By Zaza Jgharkava
16.08.2013
Two months after the anti-Russian rally held in Yerevan, Russian
President Vladimir Putin arrived in Baku. For this visit, Russian
vessels of the Caspian fleet made a friendly entrance at Baku port -
among those was the main missile reconnaisance vessel of the Dagestan
fleet - missiles of which can destroy enemies below and above the
water at the same time.
Nevertheless, the entrance of Dagestan to the Baku port is not the
main intrigue of the Azerbaijani visit. Putin arrived to meet his
counterpart Aliyev with a large delegation that included Russsian
Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov; Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygu;
Energy Minister, Alexander Novak, as well as the presidents of the
companies Rosneft and Lukoil.
The "Baku Declaration", signed on Tuesday has nothing but futile
words and phrases. And there is nothing new in dividing the Caucasus
Sea bed. Upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union it was decided to
divide the bed into sectors by keeping free navigation on the surface
of the sea or the lake. However, it was not officially signed.
As for Russia's participation in obtaining oil in the Azerbaijani
sector of the Caspian shelf, the Russian company Lukoil was part of
the process back when the Russian Foreign Ministry made "furious"
statements against the single-sided exploitation of the riches of
the Caspian Sea. Interestingly, the owner of Lukoil is Azerbaijani
multi-millionaire Vagif Alekperov.
It would be nonsense to say that Putin's visit to Azerbaijan
means a change in Russian politics in the South Caucasus- that in
exchange for returning Karabakh, Azerbaijan will give back the Gabala
radio-locational base to Russia and so on. In fact, Russia will never
betray its strategic partner in the region - Armenia. Yerevan was
receiving firsthand information about the negotiations in Baku. This
is why Armenians took the visit quite calmly.
So then what was the goal of this move?
First of all, with this visit Putin showed the West that Russia's
position and influence in the South Caucasus are still strong.
Nevertheless, it is doubtful that by demonstrating it, the Kremlin
will gain more leverage to ruin the oil project than it currently has.
The second goal is obviously connected to Georgia.
Unlike that "crazy Saakashvili", Aliyev has pursued the "right"
politics towards Moscow. Especially the fact that Putin highlighted
in his speech that Russia does not plan to act the same way as in
other Caucasian conflicts.
Generally, Azerbaijan is stronger than Georgia in all aspects. In
Azerbaijan, society is much more consolidated than in Georgia.
This is why by creating "political impressions" Putin has tried, quite
successfully, to activate the geopolitical discussion in Georgia and
strengthen the positions of those who are against Georgia's current
pro-Western course.
This political approach has seen its first results. As assumed, the
process of dissolving the Georgian Dream Coalition and strengthening
the Kremlin's main pillar - former parliamentary speaker Nino
Burjanadze - has begun. And it means full isolation of Pro-western
powers within the ruling coalition.
Despite all that, the real addressee of Putin's visit was not
Baku, Yerevan or Tbilisi. It was Ankara. As Leonid Gusev, Moscow's
International Relations Institute researcher says, the main reason
behind Putin's visit to Baku is the issue of cooperation on military
issues. According to the researcher, this is why Defense Minister
Sergey Shoygu was included among the delegation.
"Putin took Shoygu because the news spread before the visit that Turkey
and Azerbaijan were planning to create a joint army that Georgia
could also join. Turkey is a NATO member. Of course, it is early to
say anything concrete, but if tight movement starts with the Turkish
army, it will cause Russia's legitimate interest," Gusev says.
The idea of creating a joint army was raised by Turkey's Prime
Minister Erdogan after the 2008 August War. He suggested to the then
Prime Minister of Russia to create a joint peacekeeping army in the
Caucasus that would include army units of the Caucasus countries
and Russia. The mission of this military contingent would fulfill
the peace mission in the Caucasian conflicts. Back then, Putin left
Erdogan's proposal unanswered. But now it is time to respond.
After Azerbaijan rejected Nabucco and gave preference to TAP, prospects
for cooperation with Baku on energy issues opened for Moscow. Thus,
President Putin would not go to Baku with empty hands.
More details on the results of President Putin's Baku visit will
probably be revealed later.
http://www.georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=11392
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress