US expert about Azerbaijan: Greater democratic reform is obviously needed

 TURAN’s Washington DC correspondent interviewed Gerald Robbins, Senior Fellow at the US Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), who years ago served as Program Director for Freedom House in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he managed post-Soviet political and economic programs. Question: On the 20th anniversary of US-Azerbaijani relations - how does it look today? Many in Baku see the Obama administration as downgrading the status of human rights issues in this part of the world, especially with countries like Azerbaijan. 
    Answer: It's primarily become a geo-economic relationship with an emphasis on stability versus democratization. Energy has become the predominant issue not only for America but the West. Recent democratization efforts within former Soviet republics (notably Ukraine and Georgia) have generally been problematic, giving pause as to how much effort should be expended. Add to this the direct involvement the US government has in securing Iraq and Afghanistan. 
    Securing functional civil societies for these nations is a huge undertaking. In brief, what were the circumstances twenty years ago and what has transpired since then - particularly in light of the post 9/11 environment - has markedly changed. Question: There is no US Ambassador today in Baku. Does this impact the bilateral relations? 
    Answer: It's unfortunate that there isn't a US Ambassador in Azerbaijan at this time. Taking into account what I've previously mentioned, it appears that this administration sees the former Soviet region in a secondary light. One indication of this attitude was the acquiescence to Russia's demand that no early warning missile systems be deployed in former Warsaw Pact nations. 
    This might be interpreted as being of peripheral importance for Azerbaijan's concerns, but it reflected the willingness to allow a new Russian reassertiveness in its former Soviet spheres. The post-Soviet attentiveness of preceding US administrations isn't shared by the Obama presidency - if it was, someone would be officially representing US governmental interests in Baku. 
    Question: As a year has passed since the Arab Spring, we still hear that the dictators in Central Asia and the Caucasus instead of taking their lesson from the uprisings, are continuing to threaten those advocating democrat reforms even more. Why is that? And why is the West so tolerant towards it? 
    Answer: The Obama administration has decided to focus democratization efforts within the Arab world. Post-Soviet endeavors have been replaced by a post 9/11 rationale. American media reflects this shift. While much coverage is given to the so-called "Arab Spring", there's hardly any reporting as to what's happening in Central Asia or the Caucasus. 
    Recent disturbances in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan don't merit the same attentiveness as Egypt or Syria. Comparing regional upheavals can be an oversimplistic matter however. The Arab and Turkic legacies have different cultural and historical precedents. Not taking such factors into account can lead to erroneous assumptions, equal to comparing apples with oranges. 
    Question: Azerbaijan recently found itself in the middle of the Iran-West confrontation, as Tehran accuses Baku of providing hiding places to the Israeli secret service agents accused of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists. Do you think it will be easy for Baku to "keep the balance" between the West and Iran going forward? 
    Answer: Maintaining an equal balance has always been a tenuous matter for Azerbaijan. Iran's nuclear ambition is matched by neighboring Russia's constant intrigue and subterfuge. Azeri diplomacy should be admired for its nimble maneuvering amid such threatening behemoths. 
    The Iranian portion of Baku's balanced diplomacy has been badly frayed. Tehran wants to scuttle Azerbaijan's relations with Israel via cyber hacking and terrorism. These actions are blatant assaults against Azeri sovereignty and the right for a nation to determine its own foreign policy. It doesn't bode well for a continued balancing act should Iran go nuclear. 
    Question: For many, Islam is increasingly becoming a factor in the politics of the wider Caucasus region. On the other hand, a number of believers are being arrested in Baku, tensions between the state and religious Muslims have mounted in recent months. Where do you think the country is going to end up with this policy? 
    Answer: It's a development needing greater attention from Washington. The Obama administration has become too transfixed on the Arab Spring and is overlooking associative factors. 
    Moscow's containment policies throughout the Caucasus have been disastrous, exacerbating instead of alleviating matters. The potential for regional mayhem does exist, threatening Azerbaijan's Western orientation. 
    Greater democratic reform is obviously needed. What's transpiring throughout Middle Eastern societies should be a compelling incentive for existing governments throughout the Caucasus and Central Asia.