Will Soloviev Repeat Zhirinovsky�s Feint?

Storms are spinning around Russia engaged in the Syrian drama. Azerbaijan is unwittingly tied to Russia and is doomed to take into account its interests and problems in solving its tasks. Ilham Aliyev told this to Moscow TV host V. Soloviev. Where does Russia go and what does Azerbaijan bring upon itself, being closely associated with it? The interview of Turan IA with the head of the Center for Studies Atlas, Elkhan Shahinoglu, is about this.

- Observers expected the visit of the US Secretary of State to Moscow to end the war in Syria. But that did not happen. Why?

- The first official visit of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Russia has not solved any fundamental problem between the two countries. Nevertheless, the dialogue between the administrations of Putin and Trump officially began, and the Russian President accepted the American diplomat, although until the last minute no one knew if this meeting would take place. But the meeting did not produce any benefit: Russia will continue to support Bashar Assad, and America intends to displace the President of Syria.

Safeguarding Assad has cost Moscow dearly. In the Syrian war, already 21 Russian servicemen have been killed, billions have been spent, and the relations between Russia and the West have worsened. It seems to me that the Kremlin can think about the possibility of replacing Assad with another Syrian political figure. In Moscow, Tillerson hinted with one phrase that he did not mind the replacement of Assad with another politician. For Moscow it just remains to find the right kind of Syrian for the Russian bases in Syria to remain. And Washington, I think, will not object to that.

- What influence will Moscow’s and Washington's intransigence in the Syrian conflict have on Azerbaijan?

- Unclear is the statement by the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta, who said: "I think when it comes to expectations of Azerbaijan, as any civilized country, it's support of the world 's efforts to bring about a peaceful solution in Syria, and to show that actions such as those taken by the Assad regime are not acceptable." Why should Azerbaijan support the US policy in Syria? Such actions are contrary to the security of Azerbaijan. I consider Russia's foreign policy to be wrong, but why should we become an enemy of Russia for the sake of the Americans? After all, Azerbaijan does not have interests of its own in Syria. Yes, I also do not approve of Assad's actions, and I believe that he has long lost his legitimacy and support his removal from power. But I'm only an independent political expert, while official Baku cannot do as I wish that it should be done.

Azerbaijan has no interests in the Middle East and Syria. Our only desire is for peace in Syria and for the ensured territorial integrity of this state. Official Baku does not need more than that.

It would be better if the US Ambassador to Armenia wished Yerevan's assistance in the American anti-Bashar policy in Syria. The US does not spoil the mood of Armenians, not opposing the occupation of Karabakh, and in Syria, Americans suddenly need the help of Azerbaijan? Do they want to bring new problems to our heads?

- What did I. Aliyev and N. Patrushev agree on in Baku?

- All this happens against the background of visits to Azerbaijan by guests from Russia. On April 10, Ilham Aliyev received Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolay Patrushev. The parties discussed bilateral political, economic, humanitarian relations, security issues. At this meeting, Patrushev expressed an interesting idea, saying that security is important in the development of the bilateral relations. “If we ensure security, there will be no problems in the development of relations in the cultural, economic and other spheres.”

The day before Patrushev's visit, I. Aliyev received the Russian TV journalist Vladimir Soloviev. He visited Baku for the first time and he does not like Azerbaijan and Turkey, and in his programs he expresses a vivid anti-Turkic position and supports Armenia and the Karabakh separatists. In this aspect, the appearance of Soloviev in Azerbaijan raises many questions, as he repeatedly visited Nagorno-Karabakh. And such persons are included in the “black list” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and without an apology they are not allowed to our country. Returning to Moscow, Soloviev said he did not apologize for his trips to Karabakh.

Apparently, inviting Soloviev to Azerbaijan, the country's leadership wanted to neutralize his anti-Azerbaijani television appearances. That is, a person who came to Baku and met with the President of Azerbaijan will not criticize this country and will maintain a balance in the discussion of the Karabakh problem. This is the opinion of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan. Will the expectations of Baku come true? We will see this in the next talk show by Soloviev. Let's see if Soloviev repeats Zhirinovsky, who also spoke a lot of dirty tricks about Azerbaijan, but he does not do it any more after visiting Baku.