The chief of the Club of Azerbaijanian Political Scientists Lgar Velizade in an interview given to "Novosti Azerbaijan" comments on the situation in South Caucasus and talkes about Georgian-Azerbaijanian relations.
GHN offers extract from interview:
- Georgia has good relations with Azerbaijan and also with Armenia, however the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh makes Georgian to make choice. How would you estimate the perspectives of relations of Georgia and Azerbaijam taking into account the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh?
- Georgia has better relations with Azerbaijan than with Armenia. It is true that Georgian tries to protect certain balance, but Tbilisi-Baku relations in very different from relations of Tbilisi-Yerevan. The main sense of the issue is that Armenian diaspora in different of Azerbaijanian tries to make political influence of the government of Georgia. For example, in Javakheti region that is settled by Armenians several times was raised the issue of changing the status of the Armenian language with clear political attitude, Azerbaijanian deaspora haven't made nothing like this. Armenian Church is also active, may be you know that Armenian church claims temples and parish. Azerbaijanian diaspora has no such kind of intentions. As for the foreign relations disagreement between Georgia and Armenia is clear: Armenia is considered as ally to Russia, Armenia of member of Collective Security Organization, there is Russian military base in Armenia, and Georgia actively participates in NATO projects, this influences relations of two countries. Azerbaijan is not member of Collective Security Organization.... So there are no military-political controversies in Baku-Tbilisi relations. This is clear why Georgian establishment is closer to Azerbaijan.
- Last time there took place provocative actions that are directed against relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan. What can you say about?
- Yes there are such kind of attempts... we can remember last events, for example accidents on football match when there was displayed the map of Georgia against Azerbaijan's territorial claims... the second example: in Kobuleti, where live Armenians happened provocative action. It is sad that in both cases in was implemented with the help of Georgians. This is good that government of Georgia condemned the facts and begun investigation, however it indicates that enemies of Georgia and Azerbaijan don't rest and try to provoke conflict between Baku and Tbilisi."
