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Former US Assistant Secretary of Defense: NATO member states are interested in strengthening relations with Azerbaijan in general terms and for the specific purposes of decreasing tensions in the region

22 September 2010 11:16 (UTC +04:00)

Washington. Isabel Levine â€“ APA. APAâ€™s Washington DC correspondentâ€™s interview with Seth Cropsey, former US Assistant Secretary of Defense who currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington

- When we talk about the security of the South Caucasus, the first threat to remember is the Georgian war that happened 2 years ago. Washington-based analysts consider that the risks in the region still remain. Do you agree with this?

- Two years is a short time. Political tension remains high in the Caucasus not only because of issues with Russia, but as a result of shootings and ceasefire violations along the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Additionally, there is potential tension among the immediate neighboring states because of the long-term consequences raised by the possibility of strategic competition between Turkey and Iran which must affect the entire region. If the balanced relationship between religion and state that characterizes Azerbaijan continues to apply to Turkey, the entire region will become more stable and secure.

- Just recently the Russian Defense Minister visited Washington DC. What is the possibility of cooperation between Russia and US in the security sphere? What would be the role of Azerbaijan in that cooperation? Do you think that Gabala Radio Location Station is still on the countriesâ€™ agenda in terms of security cooperation?

- Azerbaijan is a reliable partner in many respects and its contributions to international missions beyond its borders are known and appreciated in the U.S. Azerbaijanâ€™s religious moderation gives it an advantage in taking a leadership role in strengthening the regionâ€™s stability. The future of the Gabala Radio Location Station remains unclear. That uncertainty is a subject for discussions between the U.S. and Russia, but diplomacy often advances at a slower speed than technological developments, for example Iranâ€™s continuing efforts to increase the range of their ballistic missiles. No agreements between Washington and Moscow are likely to erase issues that would be raised between Baku and Tehran over the use of Gabala.

- Speaking about the future, do you see the South Caucasus integrating into Euro-Atlantic structures?

- The Euro-Atlantic states have well-known and established qualifications for integration. They are interested in strengthening relations with Azerbaijan in general terms and for the specific purposes of decreasing tensions in the region. After a long delay an American ambassador in Baku would be a useful step in this direction.

- So do you think Azerbaijan will become NATO member in future and will this ever happen taking into consideration Russiaâ€™s tough reaction?

- NATO appreciates Azerbaijanâ€™s participation in various international missions. The most important questions regarding membership, however, are whether strategic interests coincide which in this and all other cases of countries that seek to join the alliance include meeting the established political and military membership criteria. I believe that the question of Georgiaâ€™s potential membership in NATO must also be resolved before Azerbaijanâ€™s. Russian reaction is as easy to predict as the certainty that allianceâ€™s expansion was never intended to threaten, and has never threatened, Russia.

- Can NATO provide security guarantee for South Caucasus?

- It is commonly difficult for alliances to act even if their prior agreements require action. I find it difficult to see how NATO could guarantee the security of non-members.