The Russian initiative to set up the naval group for the rapid interaction on the Caspian Sea (CASFOR) is, undoubtedly, positive, as the threat for the terrorist attacks in the region is quite real. Such an idea has been voiced by a Russian expert, head of the Russian Commersant newspaper foreign policy section, Azer Mursaliyev in his interview with Trend..
He reminded, that the “CASFOR” forces, composed of the naval ships of the Caspian littoral states will be used for the fighting the existing threats in the region only, and, first, the terrorism, drugs trafficking and the region’s environmental interests protection.
В"Taking into account the existing situation in the Caspian region, it is necessary to state the treat of terrorist attacks here is quite real”, the expert stressed, having reminded of the terrorist acts, taking place predominantly on the Russia’s Caspian area.
В"Terrorist acts are taking place weekly in Dagestan and the region has exceeded even Chechnya in their numbers”, Mursaliyev noted, the situation cannot but cause concerns in the Kremlin.
В"If to the explosive situation in the North Caucasus we add launching of oil and gas extracting projects on the Caspian Russian sector, the risk of terrorist attacks will grow immensely, the expert said, having noted, that terrorist acts at the Russian oil and gas fields will also affect Azerbaijan. В"In this case all Caspian states will face the ecological disaster, including Azerbaijan”, the expert said.
Touching upon the issue of the Moscow strategic interests on the Caspian, and particularly, the use of the “CASFOR” idea for strengthening the Russian influence in the region, Mursaliyev noted, there is also a foreign policy component in such kind of projects. In the expert’s opinion, a desire to mark its presence in the Caspian region is also available in the Russian proposal.
Mursaliyev reminded in conclusion, that the given initiative of Moscow has been prepared with the account of the Black Sea naval “Blackseafor” group success, while establishing of which there were also discussions on the Kremlin “strategic interests”.