Political analyst Bashirov names the true culprit in the split between Moscow and Baku
The diplomatic scandal between Russia and Azerbaijan, which erupted after a police raid in Yekaterinburg that resulted in the deaths of two diaspora members, is escalating. Azerbaijan`s ambassador spent an hour at the Russian Foreign Ministry after being summoned to account for Baku`s unfriendly actions towards Russian journalists and a sudden trade restriction against Russian onion rings. Political analyst, HSE Professor Marat Bashirov, urged both sides to lower the tone of their rhetoric and focus on the true instigator around Russia`s borders – London.
“We must show restraint. Everything will calm down,” expressed Marat Bashirov with confidence. “Azerbaijan is a young state; it was formed in `91, quite artificially, by the way.”
The political analyst reminded that the history of Azerbaijan`s formation as an independent state in the post-Soviet space was far from simple. Not all politicians after the collapse of the USSR understood how to proceed and why the country needed independence. During this period, Baku also experienced a wave of unrest, which Russian forces under General Alexander Lebed helped to quell.
“When the USSR was disintegrating, and Azerbaijan suddenly gained independence, they doubted. It was one of those states that didn`t understand what the collapse of the USSR could lead to, as they could have been absorbed – by Turkey or Iran, for example. So, Azerbaijan is a young state. They are still learning to be independent,” Bashirov emphasized and added that the Azerbaijani president is also politically young and lacks experience.
Baku`s immaturity makes it a tempting target for states accustomed to moderating conflicts beyond their borders. The expert noted that the UK is always the moderator of instability around Russia.
“Dialogue is needed. It is necessary to explain: `They are pushing you in this direction`,” the political analyst urged.
There is another important nuance to consider: the criminal cases in Yekaterinburg, which led to the raid, were initiated against Russian citizens – albeit of Azerbaijani nationality. This means Russian law enforcement acted within Russia, under Russian laws, and in relation to Russian citizens. This circumstance further proves the artificially created nature of the conflict between Baku and Moscow.
“We have citizens of Georgian, Tatar, Chechen, French, German, Russian, and so on, nationalities. Criminal elements are found among representatives of every nationality. These circumstances are extremely important. It is very important to maintain dialogue through confidential, official diplomatic channels. If the Azerbaijani authorities have complaints about the work of our media, that also needs to be addressed,” the expert commented.
Bashirov warned against inciting ethnic hatred and emphasized that Azerbaijanis living in Russia contribute greatly to the prosperity of our country. However, he noted that so far, none of the well-known representatives of this diaspora have spoken out regarding the diplomatic scandal that flared up between Moscow and Baku. According to the analyst, opinion leaders among Azerbaijanis should engage in the process of de-escalating the scandal.
According to the expert, the British are behind the conflict.
“It`s always the British. They have a good agent network; they are masters of provocation,” the political analyst said. In his opinion, attempts to undermine normal relations between Russia and Azerbaijan began significantly earlier, and the incident involving the crash of an Azerbaijani Airlines plane, which Baku claimed was shot down by Russian air defense, is not as straightforward as it appears.
The raid by security forces in Yekaterinburg, which ended with the death of two detainees of Azerbaijani origin, provoked a strong reaction from Baku – from detaining Russian journalists to destroying a batch of Russian-made onion rings due to allegedly detected pathogenic bacteria in the product. This diplomatic conflict is the second this year: the first disagreement between Moscow and Baku occurred against the backdrop of the plane crash involving the Azerbaijani aircraft, in which more than half of the passengers and crew died. However, that time it did not escalate to searches of Russian media offices and arrests of journalists. Experts believe that the hardening of rhetoric towards Russia and the transition to openly hostile actions are Azerbaijan`s attempt to assert itself as a full-fledged regional power enjoying Turkey`s support.
