Eldar Mansurov the Azerbaijani composer and EU advisor has published an article on the IPS News Service titled ‘How Deep Are Azerbaijan-Israel Relations?’ in which he states ‘There has been much speculation surrounding Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel, including reports that Israeli warplanes might use Azerbaijani airfields as support bases during a potential attack against Iran. The reality of the bilateral relationship is not so dramatic, as it is pragmatic. We must keep in mind that neither country is an essential strategic asset for the other. From the Israeli point of view, relations with Azerbaijan represent the latest incarnation of a “periphery strategy”, under which Israel, surrounded by hostile Arab states, reaches out to the “outer ring” of non-Arab, “moderate” Muslim states. In bygone decades, Kemalist Turkey and monarchist Iran played this role. Today, Israel’s relations with Turkey are tense, and Iran is an arch-enemy. Azerbaijan is now a cog in the periphery strategy. But Baku can’t compensate for the loss of Israel’s former strategic assets. Azerbaijan is a country with its own geopolitical entanglements, including one that has left roughly 20 percent of its territory under foreign occupation. Baku is not in position to supply the type of support that would be relevant to the security challenges that Israel faces, especially vis-a-vis Iran. …This is not to say that the Azerbaijani-Israeli relations have no future. Azerbaijan, thankfully, is largely free from the poisonous anti-Semitism that prevails in much of the Muslim world. But a sober, realistic assessment by both sides is needed in order to maximise the potential of bilateral relations. For the time being, the diplomatic agendas of both Azerbaijan and Israel diverge significantly, and neither state seems willing to adjust those priorities in the interest of deepening bilateral ties.”  Inspired by Eldar Mamedov, IPS News ow.ly/i3lBO Image source News.Az ow.ly/i3lsN How Deep Are Azerbaijan-Israel Relations? (March 17 2013)

 

Eldar Mansurov the Azerbaijani composer and EU advisor has published an article on the IPS News Service titled ‘How Deep Are Azerbaijan-Israel Relations?’ in which he states ‘There has been much speculation surrounding Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel, including reports that Israeli warplanes might use Azerbaijani airfields as support bases during a potential attack against Iran. The reality of the bilateral relationship is not so dramatic, as it is pragmatic. We must keep in mind that neither country is an essential strategic asset for the other. From the Israeli point of view, relations with Azerbaijan represent the latest incarnation of a “periphery strategy”, under which Israel, surrounded by hostile Arab states, reaches out to the “outer ring” of non-Arab, “moderate” Muslim states. In bygone decades, Kemalist Turkey and monarchist Iran played this role. Today, Israel’s relations with Turkey are tense, and Iran is an arch-enemy. Azerbaijan is now a cog in the periphery strategy. But Baku can’t compensate for the loss of Israel’s former strategic assets. Azerbaijan is a country with its own geopolitical entanglements, including one that has left roughly 20 percent of its territory under foreign occupation. Baku is not in position to supply the type of support that would be relevant to the security challenges that Israel faces, especially vis-a-vis Iran. …This is not to say that the Azerbaijani-Israeli relations have no future. Azerbaijan, thankfully, is largely free from the poisonous anti-Semitism that prevails in much of the Muslim world. But a sober, realistic assessment by both sides is needed in order to maximise the potential of bilateral relations. For the time being, the diplomatic agendas of both Azerbaijan and Israel diverge significantly, and neither state seems willing to adjust those priorities in the interest of deepening bilateral ties.”

 

Inspired by Eldar Mamedov, IPS News ow.ly/i3lBO Image source News.Az ow.ly/i3lsN