OFFENSIVE YIELDS RESULTS

R+ interviews Jamestown Foundation President Glen Howard

-In one of your speeches, you mentioned that the great strategic advantage of Azerbaijan is the area where it is located. As emotions are running high around Iran's nuclear programme, Baku has guaranteed Tehran that the territory of Azerbaijan cannot be used for military strikes on the neighbouring state. Could this somehow affect relations between Azerbaijan and the United States?

- Relations between Azerbaijan and the US have been developing for more than 20 years. The US gives special importance to the Caucasus, especially Azerbaijan. Iran's nuclear policy really worries the US, and that's why Washington is trying to establish a dialogue with Tehran. With regard to the probability of Azerbaijani territory being used for military operations against Iran, it is nothing more than rumours. Such speculation promises nothing good for US-Azerbaijani relations. The US is well aware of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Iran and would not want to damage them.

- The appointment of a US ambassador to Azerbaijan is dragging on, which contributes to opinions about allegedly cool relations between the two countries. What's really going on?

- I think the absence of a US ambassador from Azerbaijan is a temporary phenomenon. The question will probably find its positive solution in the coming months. A well-known diplomat, who knows the region like the last US ambassador Matthew Bryza, will start working in Azerbaijan.

- One-fifth of the territory of Azerbaijan is occupied by Armenia, and this is recognized internationally. Nevertheless, the occupation continues to this day, and the international community is not raising the issue drastically. Why is that? Maybe double standards are an obstacle.

- Yes, despite the activity of Azerbaijani diplomacy, the Karabakh issue remains unresolved. Currently, negotiations are underway with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group. The United States is also participating in the negotiation process within this entity. If you remember, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the US has been actively involved in the processes connected with one of its strategic allies - Azerbaijan, and is interested in having the Nagornyy Karabakh problem resolved as soon as possible. I think these efforts will bear fruit.

- What can you say about the activities of the Jamestown Foundation in Azerbaijan?

- The Jamestown Foundation conducts policy research, analysis and works with a number of think tanks. Our activities cover three areas - conducting research, organizing conferences and publishing books and magazines. We attach great importance to work on social networks. An important contribution to the building of our foundation was made by the well-known politician Zbigniew Brzezinski, who has close ties with Azerbaijan. We release daily publications devoted to Eurasia, which are read by more than 15,000 people.

Azerbaijan and the Caucasus as a whole are an important area for the US. We are very pleased to cooperate with it. The country plays a very important role in the world both politically and economically. Azerbaijan, which accounts for two thirds of the economy of the Caucasus, plays an important role in ensuring energy security.

- Azerbaijan is also creating think tanks. How do you assess the role of such centres in the country's policy?

- Today, there are more than 20 think tanks in Washington alone. We cooperate with Azerbaijan and deliver information about your country to the whole world. I recall one fact. In 1990, the war in Nagornyy Karabakh began. Azerbaijan should have started a real propaganda campaign at the time. Only 20 years later, was Azerbaijan able to secure a balance in the information fight and deliver information about itself to America. Therefore, think tanks are a sort of pillar for state policy.