Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr A. Gasimova / The relationships between Moscow and Baku is experiencing a difficult period, the chairman of the Committee on International Relations of the Russian Federation Council, Mikhail Margelov, said on 11 May.
"The difficulty is caused by the turning from mutual political impact to economically expedient partnership and regional cooperation," Margelov said. He did not agree with the assumption that relations had come to a crisis. "I am not denying the fact that the gas for Azerbaijan has been sold for market prices since January and Azerbaijan has stopped transportation of oil through Russia's territory. But the events are caused by economic reasons rather than political ones. Our political aims and tasks remain the same. The main purpose is to maintain regional stability in the Caspian region, the prevention of spread of Iraqi chaos on Iran and other neighbouring country, the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh situation and other issues. The views of both countries mainly coincide in this connection," Margelov added.
The relationships with Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Georgia, Baltic countries and partly with Belarus are established for independent and economically well-to-do countries. The occasion is rather positive than negative," he stressed. "The bonds between the two countries cannot be defined only by economic and political expediency at least due to the fact that over 3mln Azerbaijanis reside in Russia, and some 200,000 Russians reside in Azerbaijan. We have the responsibilities to strengthen trade relations, cultural and social bonds. Internal political stability in Azerbaijan is one of our priorities for Russia," Margelov noted.
According to the chairman, Azerbaijan and Russia are on a temporary break and further relations between the countries in partnership, sound competition, and open policy conditions are difficult to be foreseen. "At present Azerbaijan experiences the process of self-identification in new political and economic conditions. Such organizations as Organization for Democracy and Development GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova), projects on new gas pipelines laid through Georgia and Turkey, which touch the interests of Russia, undoubtedly disunite the two countries," the politician noted. However, there are common grounds as well. In 2006, the turnover between the countries for the first time made up record $1,5bln. The current task is to diversify the bilateral economic cooperation, redirect it from energy field to other industrial fields, agriculture, light industry, metallurgy and machine-building. "The two countries have a vague historical experience of bilateral partnership, human potential as well. The potential for co-operation is almost unlimited. I am confident that the visit of the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, to Baku will promote further extension of economic contacts and rapprochement in foreign policy conditions," Margelov summed up.