(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 23. The current levelof Azerbaijani-Russian relations signifies their strategicnature,General Director of the Russian Caspian Institute forStrategic Studies Igor Korotchenko told Trend .
"Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are going extremelywell in all sectors, including politics, economy, and interregionalcooperation. Overall, the 2022 declaration of allied relationssigned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian PresidentVladimir Putin serves as the foundation of the two nations'relationship.
This is a key document that governs Russian-Azerbaijani tiestoday. The current status of these relationships plainly revealsthat they are truly strategic, allied, and partnership-based," henoted.
According to him, trade and economic cooperation between Moscowand Baku are actively developing today.
"In this regard, we see no less impressive prospects ahead,including the possible participation of Russian companies andorganizations in the restoration of Azerbaijan's Karabakh. I guessnumerous Russian businessmen are eager to participate in this grandprogram. Undoubtedly, this will benefit everyone," Korotchenkostressed.
He mentioned that relations in the field of public and civildiplomacy, as well as expert interaction, are also activelydeveloping.
"As such, it's important to emphasize once again thatAzerbaijan's value as an authoritative player on the internationalstage today remains constant for Russia, and, of course, thepersonal relationship between President Ilham Aliyev and PresidentVladimir Putin, tested by time and the very intricate current worldsituation, speaks to our mutual respect, and the development of ourrelationship will benefit the peoples of both countries," hesaid.
Speaking about the current situation in the South Caucasus,Korotchenko noted that new realities have been created in theregion.
"They consist of Azerbaijan's full restoration of itsterritorial integrity and sovereignty during anti-terroristmeasures in September of last year and the self-dissolution of theseparatist regime in Karabakh. As a result, the Armenian residentsof the region voluntarily decided to move to Armenia instead ofreintegrating into Azerbaijani society. This was their own, free,and voluntary choice. In this regard, undoubtedly acknowledging thelatest changes, the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepingcontingent from Karabakh is currently underway.
The Russian peacekeepers have honorably and dignifiedlyfulfilled all the functions entrusted to them in accordance withthe trilateral statement of November 10, 2020. Today they arereturning to Russia, and Azerbaijan will now fully address issues,including security and military security, in Karabakh," headded.
The analyst emphasized that today Western players, mainly theUS, France, and the European Union, are showing active influenceand trying to establish themselves in Armenia.
"This includes the negotiations that took place on April 5 inBrussels involving Nikol Pashinyan, President of the EuropeanCommission Ursula von der Leyen, and US Secretary of State AntonyBlinken, but in fact this is also a new reality when attempts aremade to turn Armenia into a Trojan horse that would serve NATOinterests in the South Caucasus.
Meanwhile, non-regional players have the goal and objectives todestabilize the situation in the region and also to prevent thesigning of a fair peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Thisis the practical policy of the West," he said.
According to him, France acts especially destructively,heedlessly inciting Armenia to new military provocations.
"Furthermore, the French and Americans have already begunsupplying their weapons to the Armenian army. This will also havean extremely unfavorable impact on the climate and future of theregion. In this regard, I believe it is extremely important forMoscow to act as an objective and honest mediator betweenAzerbaijan and Armenia in order to facilitate the earliest possiblesigning of a peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku on the basis ofthe five peace principles put forward by President Ilham Aliyev,"said Korotchenko.
Highlighting the importance of the North-South transportcorridor project for Russia, he emphasized that for the nationaleconomy of Russia, which is under massive Western sanctions, thefunctioning and stable operation of this transport corridor are ofparamount importance.
"At the same time, Russia also stands for Armenia's fulfillingits commitments to open the Zangezur transport corridor, althoughwe see that currently Yerevan, with the support of the US andFrance, categorically refuses to implement this project, despite itbeing provided for in the ninth point of the trilateral statementof November 10, 2020 [following the second Karabakh war], signed bythe leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia," he said.
Besides, the analyst noted that, as responsible countries,Russia and Azerbaijan fully understand the need to counteract thenegative trends that affect security and stability in the SouthCaucasus.
"President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, prior to negotiationswith President Vladimir Putin of Russia in Moscow, emphasizedRussia's key role in ensuring security in the South Caucasus. Ofcourse, in this regard, close coordination among at least fourcountries with interests in the South Caucasus is necessary. Theseare Russia, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Iran, aimed at blocking andpreventing the deployment of full-fledged NATO military bases onArmenian territory. Unfortunately, everything is moving in thisdirection today.
For example, in addition to freezing participation in theactivities of the CSTO, Yerevan also questions the very nature ofthe allied relations between Russia and Armenia. Russian borderguards have already been withdrawn from Zvartnots airport. It'sobvious that similar measures will also be taken to reduce Russianmilitary presence on Armenian territory," he pointed out.
According to Korotchenko, in this regard, it's important for allcountries in the region to use all available opportunities toexplain to Armenia that it should not become a conduit for Westerninterests because it will only lead to the destabilization of thesituation in the region and have extremely detrimental effects onArmenia's security and economic prosperity.
"In general, of course, in Russia, we closely followed thenegotiations in the Kremlin, and once again, we welcome PresidentIlham Aliyev's visit to Russia, a great friend of our country and areliable partner. By the way, one of the events that took placeyesterday was a commemorative evening dedicated to the 50thanniversary of the beginning of the construction of the Baikal-AmurMainline.
The Azerbaijani president's father, Heydar Aliyev, while servingas the First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of theUSSR, played a key role in the successful implementation of thisimportant infrastructure project of the Soviet Union," headded.
Korotchenko also mentioned that this was another opportunity topay tribute to the outstanding politician of modern times, HeydarAliyev, who is well remembered, loved, and respected in Russia andwho still has immense authority among the railway workers andnational security employees of Russia.
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