Mahir Khalifa-zadeh
66 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Spring 2013)
create a strategic alliance that enhances
security and defense capabilities.
However, the future of the Israeli-
Azerbaijani relationship depends on the
political nature of the ruling power in
Azerbaijan. Iran continues its attempts to
spread its Islamic Revolution ideology into
Azerbaijan through Shi'i propaganda, while
expanding its intelligence network in Baku
and other major Azerbaijani cities.
The strengthening of pro-Islamist or Shi'i
political forces would have a catastrophic
impact on Azerbaijan's political future as a
secular state and a strong Israeli and
American
ally.
In
this
light,
the
strengthening of ties in all areas is crucial in
order to combat Iranian influence. It is also
of fundamental importance that the Azeri-
Jewish/Israeli-Azerbaijani
alliance
is
cultivated as a long-term and mutually
advantageous relationship.
One idea for a joint project is the
establishment of a university named after
Baku-born Nobel Prize laureate Lev Landau
(Lev Landau University). The university,
financed by Israel or by both sides, could
offer Jewish studies as well as other
disciplines. An Azeri Studies center could
also be opened at one of the major Israeli
universities, such as at Tel Aviv University.
Initiatives like these would contribute to
the development of the history and culture
of both nations and would thus strengthen
ties and create a solid foundation for
maintaining relations in the long-term.
With its pro-Western foreign policy,
Azerbaijan is strategically important for
U.S. and Israeli interests in the Greater
Middle East and in the post-Soviet space.
Ensuring Azerbaijan's future as a secular,
independent state should be a key priority
for Israel and the United States. It is likely
that the new U.S. administration will
intensify efforts to support Azerbaijan's
independence and territorial integrity in
order to position it under NATO's security
umbrella and to protect the strategic Western
oil infrastructure in the Caspian basin.
Richard Morningstar's 2012 nomination as
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan was a
strategic move aimed to revive and push
forward U.S. diplomacy in the South
Caucasus and Caspian basin.
With regard to any military option to stop
Iran's nuclear program, Azerbaijan continues
to attempt to remain neutral. On a May 29,
2012, visit to Tehran, the Azerbaijani
minister of defense said, "The Republic of
Azerbaijan, like always in the past, will
never permit any country to take advantage
of its land, or air, against the Islamic
Republic of Iran, which we consider our
brother and friend country."
Indeed, Baku would like to avoid any
possible military clashes with Iran and
maintain
its
neutrality.
However,
Azerbaijan's actions and pragmatic foreign
policy indicate that Baku's position is more
pro-Western than pro-Iranian. Baku will
thus continue to cooperate with Israel in
order to protect and advance Azerbaijani
national interests.
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