Russian presentation

Aliyeva’s visit is almost like Presentation-2, after Presentation-1. In March 2019, the first lady of Azerbaijan, in the rank of first vice president, set off with an uncertain status visit to win the position of the Parisian elite, although negotiations with the heads of the French institutions of power, with the exception of President Macron, attached a state character to the visit to France.  At least that is what the French diplomats think.

Paris, and now Moscow, are closely watching the second person in the Azerbaijani state, taking into account Mehriban’s gaining momentum on the state ladder. On diplomatic sidelines, they say that she managed to conquer Paris not only with glamorous charm, but also with her eastern mind.

Will she be able to conquer Moscow is more of a rhetorical question than vice versa. President Vladimir Putin, who has no equal in influence in the post-Soviet space, shocked even the subjugated French with his congratulations on August 26 on the birthday of the Azerbaijani First Lady, elevating her to a dialogue of equals: “With your many years of activity in high government posts, you have earned well-deserved respect among compatriots and high international authority. We know you as a true friend of Russia, a fundamental supporter of strengthening strategic partnership relations between our states. I am sure that these relations will continue to develop fruitfully for the benefit of the Russian and Azerbaijani peoples, in the interests of strengthening regional stability and security. ”

In fact, this message could be regarded as an invitation to a dialogue, as a comrade and real successor person No. 1 in Azerbaijan.

In this dialogue, the Kremlin is most interested in:

1. Further development of trade and economic relations, which include the necessary growth in foreign trade, where the advantages has the Russian Federation,

2. An increase in Azerbaijan’s investment in the Russian economy by at least $ 3 billion to achieve parity approximately $ 4 billion on each side.

3. Continuation of the strategic partnership with consideration of the interests of the Russian Federation in the Caucasus region

4. Strengthening the Russian cultural (communicative) influence in Azerbaijan.

The meeting with Medvedev showed that Aliyeva arrived in Moscow with homework, which included answers to questions posed by the Kremlin. She said:

1. Indicators of bilateral trade and mutual investment between Russia and Azerbaijan are encouraging, but there is also potential for development.

2. "If we look at the indicators, they inspire great optimism. We note annual growth, trade is growing - last year it grew by 19% and amounted to $ 2.6 billion. Over nine months of this year, growth has reached 24%. All of these the indicators are very optimistic. Mutual investments are growing, the volume of Russian investments in the Azerbaijani economy is 4.9 billion, and Azerbaijan has invested 1.2 billion in Russia. Importantly, according to the analysis of the intergovernmental commission, this potential is not fully utilized; a two-three-fold increase is possible. "

Economic cooperation, which remains one of the most important components of the bilateral agenda. Russia is one of the main trade partners of Azerbaijan, and ranks first in the import of non-oil products.

3. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to relations with Russia, the two countries have strong and long-standing traditions of friendship and good neighborliness, and today's bilateral relations are characterized as strategic partnerships. Interregional cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan is an important component of bilateral cooperation.

4. "Azerbaijan has a very great respect for the Russian language and Russian culture. In  our country Russian-language education has been fully preserved, in 338 schools education is in Russian, in 14 state universities there are Russian-language departments; in 50 schools successful a pilot project of the Ministry of Education is being implemented - intensive teaching of the Russian language," expressing hope for the further development of cooperation in all areas.

However, behind the scenes, remained, in the words of Medvedev, “urgent problems of bilateral interaction in the economy and in other spheres.” Their essence was not publicly disclosed by the Russian side, but one can guess the jealousy of the Northern neighbor in the rapprochement of the Southern neighbor with the Western neighbor, dissatisfaction with the degree of military-technical cooperation, and so on.

Russia plays an important role in the internal political processes in Azerbaijan due to the preserved Soviet ties at the elite and everyday levels. Its location and support, as shown by the years of independence, were important for participants in internal political processes and battles. From this point of view, the location and support of Moscow are decisive for Aliyeva in her further consolidation of power in the Olympus.

Returning to the topic of the French bride, it would be worthwhile to recall that then we noted the importance of such visits for the first persons of Azerbaijan, which was dictated by the desire to secure international support from geopolitical centers.

Mehriban Aliyeva is not the first person in the state, but not the second, taking into account her growing influence on domestic political life. Such an influence has the prospect of further expanding if Presentation-3 takes place. For this, it will be necessary, at least, to start positive impulses of changes in the field of democracy, which can open the way to Washington, where on the eve of a reverential manner they celebrated the 25th anniversary of the oil-rich “Contract of the Century”.