Keeping up the positive vibe

The frequency with which senior Russian officials have visited Baku recently is a sign of the continuing, positive dynamic in the development of Russian-Azerbaijani relations and the serious intent of both countries on constructive cooperation on a very broad range of international, regional and bilateral issues. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's working visit to Baku, like the earlier official visit to Baku of the head of the Russian Federation presidential administration, Sergey Naryshkin, made an important contribution to reinforcing the atmosphere of openness, dialogue and partnership in bilateral relations. 

The opening of the Russian information and cultural centre in Baku stands out as one of the concrete results of the visit. Alongside the recently opened Baku branch of Moscow State University, the centre gives a new boost to bilateral cooperation in the humanitarian sphere and expands opportunities to spread the Russian language and the achievements of Russian science, culture and art in Azerbaijan. This means that another platform for specific, mutually beneficial humanitarian projects has been created.

But most important of all was the visit's political component, of course - the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement dominated the Russian visitor's meetings in Baku with the president and Azerbaijani foreign minister. Baku has always considered Moscow's position on the problem to be of immense significance and is, therefore, satisfied with the serious intent that it has shown recently in its approach to a resolution. The first official commentaries on the outcome of the visit say that both sides are united in their view that the Moscow declaration, signed by the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on 2 November 2008, is a very important and useful platform to advance the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement process, especially since it confirms the three leaders' commitment to rely in the settlement process on the basic norms and principles of international law and resolutions and documents adopted on their basis.

It is clear from official commentaries that during the Baku talks the Azerbaijani leadership again confirmed its commitment to the spirit and letter of the document and its resolve to work with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen in the interests of a political settlement of the conflict and supported greater input from Russia as a co-chairman of the Minsk Group. What's most important now is to maintain and increase the positive thrust of the Moscow declaration towards another successful meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.

Of the other topical issues in bilateral relations considered in Baku, the negotiating process on the delimitation of the state border between the two countries should be highlighted. According to our information, around 90 per cent of the state border line, which is 390 km long in total, has already been agreed and Baku is in favour of speeding up the negotiating process with the aim of signing an inter-state agreement. Azerbaijan lends great importance to a rapid and fair resolution of the issue and expects a constructive approach from Moscow which could bring both sides to a specific result in the very near future. Baku thinks that by resolving this issue Russia can substantially boost its position in Azerbaijan's foreign policy.

Moreover, the sides discussed different elements of "the Caspian package" in Baku - issues concerning the draft Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian and the implementation of the agreements of the Tehran summit (October 2007) of Caspian littoral states, including on ensuring security on the Caspian and the organization of Caspian economic cooperation.

As for the economic component of the talks, our sources say that the need was expressed for additional measures to raise the effectiveness of economic cooperation, diversify trade, economic and investment links. In 2008 turnover between the two countries topped $2 billion with Russia becoming our country's leading import partner. Baku shares Moscow's opinion that this figure is certainly not the limit and that they should move away from trade in raw materials and supplement bilateral cooperation with major new projects.

An extremely useful exchange of views was held on a new topic in bilateral relations - the Eastern Partnership initiative offered by the European Union to six CIS countries. It is pleasing that Moscow respects Azerbaijan's desire for Euro-integration and its position on involvement in the new project, without perceiving our country's Euro-Atlantic direction as a threat to itself. In Baku our foreign minister stressed again that Azerbaijan sees its relations with the EU within the European neighbourhood policy as a two-way street, meaning it is interested in mutually beneficial cooperation with the EU on the basis of equal responsibility for joint projects and programmes. 

As for the Eastern Partnership, Azerbaijan sees it as a convenient opportunity to boost its cooperation with the EU and its interested participants in three areas or "baskets" - politics and security, the economy and energy and humanitarian contacts and cooperation.