Alexei Vlasov: "Stability and succession of the course including multi-direction and pragmatism are the main advantages of the working President of Azerbaijan"

- By results of October 15 elections President Ilham Aliyev was re-elected for the second term. In fact, the results of elections can hardly be called unexpected. Nevertheless, what the Moscow observers expect from the further development of relations with Azerbaijan? And how will the continuation of the previous external political course of Azerbaijan influence the regional development?

- Ilham Aliyev's victory indicates the trust of the voters to the policy of the country's leadership. There was no alternative candidate and this is how the electoral campaign is perceived in Russia. No special changes are expected. In conditions of the crisis it is dangerous to make sudden steps both in the sphere of external and internal policy. Stability and succession of the course, multi-direction and pragmatism, are the main advantages of the working president of Azerbaijan.

Moscow hopes for the possible closing of the opinion of Russia with Baku's position on several issues, connected with the definition of new strategies of security on the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus. For this purpose, it is not needed to "drag" Azerbaijan to its side, for the very pragmatism may reorient Azerbaijan's position in the direction, more profitable for Moscow. This position will not be necessarily anti-western.

- The recent events show that clashes continue between the main mediators in the Karabakh conflict resolution - Russia and the United States, both of which tries to seize control over the region. What can be expected in these conditions from the initiative of President Medvedev to hold the meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia in Moscow?

- It is clear that Nagorno Karabakh problem is a matter number one and Dmitri Medvedev's initiative about the meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia is a good sign for those who hope for Russia's active participation in the process of the Karabakh conflict settlement. The question is the platform, on which the closing of positions will occur.

I suppose the dialogue will be open and involve other regional and inner-regional powers, but the very fact of intensification of the Kremlin's efforts in the Karabakh direction, proves that the Russian leader is well aware of the new realities in the South Caucasus, which emerged after the August events.

- Isn't Russia concerned with the strengthening influence of Turkey in the South Caucasus in period when Moscow and Washington seem to be actively involved into mutual clashes?

- In this sense, it is impossible to ignore Ankara's initiative, though experts do no treat them ambiguously. By the way, i would not diminish the level of independence of the current Turkish leadership, which is usually attributed to "Washington's loyal friends".

- Time showed that OSCE is not effective in the resolution of problems in the European area. Is Ankara's idea of creation of the so called "regional OSCE" by the Caucasus countries effective in this sense?

- There is an opinion that creation of "the regional OSCE" is Utopian. Though the comparison with the European analogue is incorrect as their tasks differ. This can be a good title for news for journalists. But in fact this implies complex process of development of new rules of game, favorable for the regional players. These rules will be developed from the zero level as the trust crisis has reached the level, when all previous agreements can soon be forgotten.

Nevertheless, there is a chance. It implies that each of the negotiation participant must give up its own ambitions and act considering common interests, settling common tasks to turn the South Caucasus and the Caspian region into a zone of peace and security.

/Day.Az/