Afterword to Blinken's call. Human rights or other interests?

On Monday, in a conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged him "to quickly" open the Lachin corridor for commercial traffic. Blinken stressed that "the risk of a humanitarian crisis in the Lachin corridor undermines the prospects for establishing peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia." The Secretary of State also "urged President Aliyev to redouble efforts in bilateral peace talks with Armenia." In addition, Blinken raised the issue of human rights in Azerbaijan, the ministry’s  statement.

Azer Gasimly, an independent politician, head of the Institute of Political Management  commented on Blinken's call to President Aliyev in the "Difficult Question" program.

During the conversation with the President of Azerbaijan, the Secretary of State discussed not only the issue of the Lachin corridor, but also the latest facts of human rights violations in Azerbaijan, Gasimly said.

He also expressed confidence that in addition to humanitarian issues, the parties also discussed the prospects for a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the normalization of relations between the two countries.

"In my opinion, this was the main topic of discussion between President Aliyev and Secretary of State Blinkin," the expert said. Gasimly noted that the topic of human rights had never been the main one in the relations between Azerbaijan and the United States, although it was always touched upon.

“Unfortunately, this has never been the main topic, which, by the way, is understandable - the United States has its own national interests. The same applies to European countries – they all have national interests,” the politician noted, adding that, unlike authoritarian countries such as Russia, the United States and other Western countries, they attach more importance to democracy.”

According to him, this is explained by the fact that the fewer authoritarian countries in the world, the more democratic countries where human rights are given an important place, the less the risk of unleashing wars.

“Democracies will be more cooperative. And then the world will become more global, more liberal, the borders will be open. And then the countries of Europe, the countries of the West will get more opportunities for trade. This is their interest,” Gasimly said.

On Monday, in a conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged him "to quickly" open the Lachin corridor for commercial traffic. Blinken stressed that "the risk of a humanitarian crisis in the Lachin corridor undermines the prospects for establishing peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia." The Secretary of State also "urged President Aliyev to redouble efforts in bilateral peace talks with Armenia." In addition, Blinken raised the issue of human rights in Azerbaijan, the ministry’s  statement.

Azer Gasimly, an independent politician, head of the Institute of Political Management  commented on Blinken's call to President Aliyev in the "Difficult Question" program.

During the conversation with the President of Azerbaijan, the Secretary of State discussed not only the issue of the Lachin corridor, but also the latest facts of human rights violations in Azerbaijan, Gasimly said.

He also expressed confidence that in addition to humanitarian issues, the parties also discussed the prospects for a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the normalization of relations between the two countries.

"In my opinion, this was the main topic of discussion between President Aliyev and Secretary of State Blinkin," the expert said. Gasimly noted that the topic of human rights had never been the main one in the relations between Azerbaijan and the United States, although it was always touched upon.

“Unfortunately, this has never been the main topic, which, by the way, is understandable - the United States has its own national interests. The same applies to European countries – they all have national interests,” the politician noted, adding that, unlike authoritarian countries such as Russia, the United States and other Western countries, they attach more importance to democracy.”

According to him, this is explained by the fact that the fewer authoritarian countries in the world, the more democratic countries where human rights are given an important place, the less the risk of unleashing wars.

“Democracies will be more cooperative. And then the world will become more global, more liberal, the borders will be open. And then the countries of Europe, the countries of the West will get more opportunities for trade. This is their interest,” Gasimly said.