SUEZ IN THE CAUCASUS

"Azerbaijan, Turkey and Turkmenistan state their mutual support for one another's independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty," says a declaration adopted following a tripartite meeting of the foreign ministers of these countries in Baku.

The document was adopted after a meeting between Elmar Mammad-yarov, Ahmet Davutoglu and Rashid Meredov - the first in the format of the foreign ministers of the three countries - in Baku. The document also highlights the contribution of the cooperation of the three countries in ensuring regional and international peace, security, stability, economic development and prosperity.

In noting the importance of energy and transport projects, the foreign ministers of the three countries stressed the significance of joint participation in large-scale projects aimed at expanding ties in this sphere and providing energy security and diversification.

The sides stressed the importance of holding regular tripartite meetings aimed at strengthening cooperation in a political dialogue, coordination and also regional and international matters.

It was all a matter of endorsing a third format of regional trilateral inter-action involving Azerbaijan and Turkey. The Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia and Azerbaijan-Turkey-Iran formats had already been endorsed earlier.

As we have seen, Baku and Ankara are making successful efforts to synchronize their regional policies through holding meetings in a tripartite format. For all the differences in their foreign policies, the economic interests of these countries coincide in a number of ways. The Azerbaijan-Turkey-Georgia format has been active for many years in the successful implementation of major energy and transport projects in the region. Progress in resolving Iran's nuclear problem and, as a consequence, the gradual easing of international pressure on Iran allow that country to seek wider cooperation, primarily with the participation of their immediate neighbours. And Turkmenistan's involvement in this cooperation could be an indication of its interest in the transit possibilities of the countries of the South Caucasus and Turkey as an outlet for Turkmen goods to the European and Near Eastern markets. Moreover, Ashgabat's interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan and Turkey is linked with Turkmenistan's wish to become involved in energy projects already being implemented by these countries. Despite differences between the sides over the status of the Caspian and the utilization of offshore oil fields, Azerbaijan is well aware that Azerbaijan and Turkey could play a big part in the transportation of Turkmen gas to Europe.

At the same time, those involved in all these formats of tripartite inter-action regard this cooperation as an effective means of strengthening security in the region, which is full of all kinds of threats, from smuggling goods and arms to separatism and terrorism. So it would not be at all surprising if the tripartite formats eventually result in a major association of regional integration Azerbaijan-Turkey-Iran-Turkmenistan-Georgia.

For Azerbaijan, developing relations with foreign partners at bilateral and trilateral levels coincides with official Baku's foreign political course of non-alignment to any blocs. It was not by chance that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at an official reception to mark Republic Day on 28 May, noted the great importance of all these formats of trilateral inter-action. "These formats have a very great significance for regional security and cooperation and safeguarding our political and economic interests. We shall, of course, continue these tripartite meetings, which have already become regular, in the future," the head of state commented.

He said that Azerbaijan has already resolved the problem of its own energy security and is today helping its other partners to deal with it, and so main attention in the republic today will be focused on the non-oil sector. Aliyev stressed the importance of completing all infrastructural projects in Azerbaijan by 2020. Bearing in mind the head of state's remarks, the agreement on the participation in joint projects with such countries of the region as Iran and Turkmenistan is particularly important. Now that Baku, Ankara and Tbilisi have already confirmed their main protagonists in the implementation of regional energy initiatives, all the preconditions are there for a continuation of this successful inter-action in other spheres, especially trade-economic and transport.

All the more so because taking into account the new confrontation between the main hegemonies in the international arena Asia is acquiring more and more importance as a very promising area for the countries along the route of Asian goods to the European market and in the reverse direction. In this sense Azerbaijan has every opportunity to utilize its transit potential to its fullest extent. The construction of major transport junctions (already prepared or due to be completed in the foreseeable future) -  the new Heydar Aliyev Airport terminal in Baku, the commercial port in Alat, one of the largest in the Caspian region, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is designed specially to link Asia with Europe - all this enables Azerbaijan to become a major logistics centre in the region. The implementation of this project will not only provide the shortest transport route between Asia and Europe, but will also make trade-and-economic relations between the countries of both continents more effective and profitable and bring huge profits in the future. That is why this is the route that must become a priority for Azerbaijan and ensure ongoing development and prosperity at a time when there will be a slump in the extraction of energy resources.   

And Azerbaijan's foreign partners, who are beginning to realize the importance of such projects, are promising the republic all possible support in implementing them. "Azerbaijan could then become a logistics centre of world importance in the Caucasus along the lines of Suez. The implementation of this idea is not directed against anyone and would be for the common good. Russia, China, India, Europe, Turkey and many other countries would all benefit from this." said Frederick Starr, professor of America's John Hopkins University and well known for his studies of the Great Silk Road.

According to the American expert, the development of inter-continental trade and transport corridors will make the Caucasus, and especially Azerbaijan, a second "Suez". "I'm sure you know that everyone who uses the Suez Canal wants to save it from any threat. Azerbaijan could also have that same status," Starr emphasized.

Thus, the development of trade and communications projects in the region could become the key to solving regional problems, including the problem of the occupation of one fifth of Azerbaijani territory.

There is every reason to expect that the next meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Turkmenistan, which the sides have agreed to hold later this year in Ashgabat, will be even more substantial and lead to progress in the implementation of specific projects.

AT FIRST HAND

"These formats have a very great significance for regional security and cooperation and safeguarding our political and economic interests. We shall, of course, continue these tripartite meetings, which have already become regular, in the future." 

Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan