News.Az interviews professor of the Russian State Humanitarian University, official of the Institute of Studying Russia and Eastern Europe named after Cammings under the Tel Aviv University, Boris Morozov.
What do you think about the future of Azerbaijan as a multinational Muslim country which (despite the religion) has chosen the way of integration with the West?

I do not see a contradiction between the Muslim religion, which is the main in Azerbaijan, and integration with the West. The principled position that Azerbaijan� is a multinational state where representatives of different peoples of the country, and different religions feel free does not only provide the prerequisites for the general integration with the West, but also allow your country to become a platform for developing dialogue between the Muslim world and other religions, based on mutual respect. It seems to me that the Baku Humanitarian Forum was the bright prove of it. Representatives of different countries and confessions could exchange views, listen to each other, while this is the first step to further deepening and developing of ties.

What do you think about prospects of the Azerbaijani-Israeli relations?

In my opinion, the future of relations between the two countries is quite favorable. These bilateral relations have been developing very fruitfully both politically and economically: volume of trade is growing, the countries exchange governmental and parliamentary delegations on various levels. It seems to me that for the further deepening and development of these ties, both parties must first of all respect the existing in relations with neighboring countries in our complex region.

I mean that Israel, whose relations with Turkey cannot be called good over the past years, should understand that the Azerbaijani and Turkish people maintain traditionally neighborly ties, and our disagreements with Turkey should in no way affect our relations with Azerbaijan. Moreover, in place of our diplomatic representatives, I would try to use the good relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey as a channel for the restoration of relations between Israel and Turkey to the normal level.
Well, apart from this, the presence of a large number of Azerbaijani immigrants in Israel helps improve our relations.

A significant cooling has been observed recently in the ties between Azerbaijan and Iran while it is supposed that Baku�s cooperation with Israel is the reason. How can the Iranian factor affect the Azerbaijani-Israeli relations or restrict them?

I do not think that Baku�s cooperation with Israel is the real and the main cause of the deterioration of relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. Here, apparently, we can talk about many unresolved economic problems between your countries (in particular in the Caspian Sea), and Iranian attempts to dominate the region. Although� this cannot be ruled out in light of openly hostile position, which Iran has recently taken on Israel.

What do you think about plans published in western press for already several months about Israel�s intention to use the territory of Azerbaijan for anti-Iranian purposes?

First, I have never heard anything specific about Israel's intention to use the territory of Azerbaijan for the above purposes. Secondly, I believe that any active anti-Iranian action by Israel is very unlikely (if not impossible at all). Third, as far as I know, there is a clear position of the Azerbaijani leadership (which, incidentally, has been formulated by Heydar Aliyev) not to participate in any action of this kind, which could complicate your relationship with Iran. Therefore, I believe that it is rather a media speculation, which cannot be taken seriously.

Azerbaijan just like Israel is in a state of information warfare with one of its neighbors. For example, there is a wrong idea about the essence of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict abroad. What should Azerbaijan do for the duly presentation of the problem of occupation abroad?

This question is very uneasy and I am not sure that I can speak as an expert. But I have recently developed an idea that in its striving to bring its opinion on Karabakh to the attention of the world community, Azerbaijan is far more successful than Israel which seeks to inform the same community about its stance on the Arabian-Israeli conflict.

By News.Az

 

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