THE OLD WORLD HAS NO APPEAL

The session of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan held on July 13 and chaired by president Ilham Aliyev, though dedicated to the country's socioeconomic development in the first half of 2015 and upcoming tasks, was also important for the course of the country's foreign policy.

At the very beginning of the session the president heavily criticized certain anti-Azerbaijani circles in Europe for organizing a campaign against the country before and during the first European Games in Baku.

"A spiritual crisis, an economic crisis have become a reality in Europe, which, of course, compels us to reflect, and in future we will definitely take into account these factors. To what extent should Azerbaijan integrate into European structures? Should it integrate or not? Or should we have cooperation as the preferred format? Personally I have been thinking about this for some time and believe that in the coming months it is essential that we prepare a new mechanism, a new format, and a new conception of our cooperation," declared Aliyev. 

The president once again mentioned that Azerbaijan has not signed the Association Agreement with the European Union, because the document that, instead of providing for cooperation between both sides, is à one-sided agreement and more closely resembles a list of orders, thus not corresponding to the needs of a country which prefers to build relations with international partners on an equal footing.

"In what capacity do they want to admit Azerbaijan? As a second-rate member, an associate member, or a worthless appendage. We do not need that kind of format," stated Aliyev, addressing those politicians and public figures in Azerbaijan who call for European integration.

The head of state's further comments showed that the reason for such weighty statements was not only the discrepancy between European and Azerbaijani spiritual values or Brussels' vague position as to the agreement on strategic partnership proposed by Baku.  

According to the president, Azerbaijan would not have joined the Council of Europe had it known that instead of following through on its promises to help solve the Nagornyy Karabakh problem, the organization would make many attempts to humiliate the republic. 

In response to Azerbaijan's fair expectations, the country received double standards, islamophobia, envy, and hostility. The republic bore witness to all this during the European Games, when PACE passed a resolution on Azerbaijan. At the last moment the assembly changed the phrase "The Assembly is fully aware of the occupation by Armenia of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other provinces of Azerbaijan," the formulation proposed in the text of the resolution by the speakers, to the openly anti-Azerbaijani "The Assembly is fully aware of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."

That was the final straw, asserted Aliyev: 

"We are not integrating into anything. We have already integrated enough. If we feel the need, we will enter into other associations, but as a partner with full rights, as a country deserving respect."

The head of state criticized other European parliaments as well - the European Parliament and, separately, the German parliament. The first came under fire for the President of the European Parliament Schulz, his deputy Lunacek, and their minions' attempt, admittedly unsuccessful, to push through an anti-Azerbaijani resolution; the second for the actual passing of a similar resolution by German parliamentarians. "One must ask, what business does the German Bundestag have with Azerbaijan and who do they think they are? Rulers of the world? Judges of the world? Does everyone have to obey them? They have obviously developed a bad habit. But let them not compare us with others," the outraged president stated. In his words, Azerbaijan does not need anything from the Old World, while the Europeans need "our natural gas, our contracts, our oil, activity on this territory, in this geographical space."

As Aliyev noted, a deliberate information war is being waged against Azerbaijan. Those who run this information war do not notice Azerbaijan's socioeconomic accomplishments, nor do they notice the internal political stability that prevails in the country, while in Europe fascism, extremism, and other forms of discrimination thrive, nor do they acknowledge the very well-managed and purely sports-related event that was the European Games. But victory in this information battle went to the Azerbaijani people and state, who are not subject to outside influence. 

"Here no one will do what they say. To us these resolutions are only à scrap of paper. For that reason no one will carry them out," the head of state declared. At the same time he noted that bilateral-format cooperation with European countries is at a high level. "Often in the course of meetings with the leaders of major European countries I, of course, express all these concerns. They say: don't pay any attention to them, they are not worth paying attention to. And we don't pay any attention to them," stressed Aliyev. 

What conclusions can be drawn from the president's speech? No, no one is going to sever relations with the countries of Europe. Relations will continue to develop, but they will almost certainly become more pragmatic, in keeping with the new conception of cooperation, of which the president spoke. Recent events only strengthen Azerbaijan's conviction that it is right in building relations with the countries of Europe in a bilateral format, but there will be no integration stipulating that its participants go from being regional neighbours of Europe to becoming dependent on Brussels. "We are not integrating into anything" - these categorical words from the president were likely the most weighty proof that the EU Eastern Partnership initiative and European policy in the former Soviet Union have failed. The key word "partnership", which was made part of the EU program's name, assumes the interaction of both sides on a mutually beneficial basis. But Brussels' attitude toward Azerbaijan throughout its participation in this partnership program can hardly be characterized as such. In the European Union they openly admit that Azerbaijan interests them first of all for its energy resources.  Which they receive. Azerbaijan is actively working on plans to lower Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas. Baku, in turn, needs more than anything else a fair position from the Europeans on the issue of the occupation of part of Azerbaijan's territory. At the very least a simple statement that there is an occupation, something which has been acknowledged by many international organizations. But even that is not happening. The EU, which speaks of the violation of the territorial integrity of Georgia, Moldova, and now Ukraine, openly naming an aggressor country, in relation to a similar situation in Azerbaijan either remains silent or comes up with all kinds of vague wordings so as to not, God forbid, offend Armenia. A country which, by the way, not only continues in the 21st century to occupy part of the territory of a neighbouring state, but also openly expresses its disdain for the EU, having turned down association to join the Eurasian Union instead. 

In return for helping Europe solve the problem of energy security, Europe "thanks" Azerbaijan with anti-Azerbaijani resolutions and open contempt for its territorial integrity. That is truly a paradoxical partnership. But Azerbaijan is clearly unsuitable for the role of à cash cow without any rights of its own.

Even more so since Azerbaijan has options. It was not for nothing that Aliyev mentioned "other associations." The republic is being actively courted by the Eurasian Union. Yes, Baku's attitude toward the Eurasian Union is guarded, but Azerbaijan's foreign policy nevertheless has some hints of pro-Eurasian Union orientation. Recently Azerbaijan made a step towards closer relations with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Azerbaijan is developing interactive cooperation with countries in the region - Turkey, Georgia, and Russia. In light of agreements on Iran's nuclear program, there are tremendous opportunities for closer cooperation with Iran. Aside from the great potential for bilateral relations with its southern neighbour, now freed from Western sanctions, a wide spectrum of opportunities is opened up by the prospect of including Iran in a global project to create a Silk Road, which would include a cooperative of country-participants in trade, transport, and energy. These are only some of the integration projects in which Azerbaijan can presume a partnership with equal rights for all parties. In other words, Baku has options.