Thanks to its energy resources, Azerbaijan has achieved importance as a Eurasian actor. It has also managed, following independence from the USSR in 1991, to balance its foreign relations with Russia and the West. Whereas initially a rejection of Russia and rapprochement with the West predominated, for a number of years there has been a realignment. The only serious cloud on the horizon in Azeri foreign relations is its conflict with neighbouring Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Post-Soviet Azerbaijan, Between the United States and Russia
Of the three countries to the south of the Caucasus, Azerbaijan is without doubt the one which has succeeded in achieving the right balance in its foreign affairs between Russia and the West. In fact it has been best placed to do so, profiting from a favourable geopolitical situation and considerable assets, particularly energy resources. If, immediately following independence, the rejection of Russia and rapprochement with the West predominated, a realignment has taken place over the last few years. In contrast with Armenia, which is trying to follow a policy, for the most part, of compliance with Russia, and Georgia, which clearly sides with the United States and Europe, Azerbaijan has managed, with a certain amount of difficulty, to sit on the fence.
The only cloud on the horizon of Azeri foreign relationships is that of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, in which it is opposed by its Armenian neighbour.
Russian-Azeri Relationships: the ‘Lows’ and Then More and More the ‘Highs’…
Russia continues to be the major regional player. Russian-Azeri relationships are today cordial and bilateral cooperation is expanding. The two players respectively claim to be strategic partners. From the point of view of Russia, which considers this ‘near neighbour’ to be part of its natural area of influence, the many rapprochements between the United States and Azerbaijan pose problems.
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