At the end of the XX century when the humankind was entering into a new stage of its development, when the processes of globalization and economic integration were developing rapidly and acquired new qualitative characteristics, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc, after the end of the “Cold war”, when operational centers and geo-strategic alliances started to be formed a new period began in the history of international political relations. Historical experience proves that in such important turning points of history the development of the country depends on the correct position of each country, on the effectiveness of the national policy of every state, and only those nations that will be able to determine the development priorities, distribute their own material and spiritual resources in the right way and in accordance with these priorities, can gain progress and prosperity. We also had to live through all these processes in Romania, our native country, after the revolution of 1989. Two years after the Romanian revolution the Soviet empire collapsed.
Like all former soviet republics Azerbaijan inherited from the USSR a complex of range of issues of social, political and economic character, a ruined economic infrastructure, broken economic and trade relations, lost traditional markets. Such negative processes as stagnation in the structure of the state power, impoverishment of the population, the loss of control over economy which were a characteristic for all these countries, were growing in Azerbaijan at even higher and more threatening rates. Besides, unlike other post-soviet countries, Azerbaijan was subjected to aggression from the neighbouring Armenia; a part of its territory was occupied, and nearly a million of refugees and internally displaced persons, that appeared as a result of this aggression turned into a factor, which made the situation in the country even more complicated. All that happened in the transition period over several spheres of social life.
As a result of all these and other not mentioned here internal and external reasons at that time the Republic of Azerbaijan was confronted with danger to lose its state independence, and Azerbaijani people aâ¬â their national way of life. And all this at the end of the XX century, though it may sound strange! Probably we won’t be wrong if we state that geostrategic location of Azerbaijan and all rich natural resources which it possesses were not the least important for such danger.
The fact is that prospects for oil and gas made (mainly by Azerbaijani Scientists and oil workers) in the last years gave all reasons to say that the amounts of carbo-hydrogen resources of the Caspian Sea could be compared with the richest deposits of the world. And if the quickest exploitation of these deposits met the interests of energy-consuming countries, it was quite undesirable for some source nations and those who set prices on these products. It was the conflict of such interests that made the struggle for the Caspian oil (and also for drawing the countries of the Caspian region into its sphere of influence) so dramatic and uncompromising.
The second factor, which caused the struggle for Azerbaijan is its geo-strategic location. Being a country, which is situated at the turn of Europe and Asia, where Western and Eastern cultures join, and being a gateway from East to West and being situated at the crossroads of the most straight land roads which link two the most intensively developing centres of economic activity in the world aâ¬â Europe and Far East, it plays a great role from the point of view of the future development of the economy. The intensity of the contacts between the centres and that means that to some extent the future development of the world economy will depend on safe and effective functioning of these roads. It was the understanding of this situation in Europe that caused the adoption of the project TRACECA within the framework of the programme TASIS at the beginning of 1990-s. The realization of this project will mean secure connection between Europe and the countries of the Far East region by means of complicated transport aâ¬â communication systems which will be made through the territories of the countries of the former Soviet Union. And the political meaning of this “link” is not less important than its economic profit.
TRACECA is the factor that promotes safe integration of the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia into the Western democracy, gives a chance to these countries to say good-bye to their authoritarian past for ever, build a democratic, secular, law-governed state, make its independence stable. Not only these countries and western countries understand it perfectly well, but also the states that want to have influence on these countries and thus use their resources at their own discretion.
The participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in this struggle from the point of view of its national interests, its persistence to use the advantages of its geographical position and to exploit its power resources for the ensuring of social and economic growth of the country, forced the adversaries of turning the South Caucasus into the important transport artery and straight transportation of power resources of the Caspian basin to the world markets to use all the opportunities including a coup, to hand over the power in these countries to “obedient” rulers in order to achieve these aims. It was not accidentally that in 1993 Azerbaijani authorities that had neither enough experience nor a professional team resigned as a result of an armed rebellion.
At such an important moment of the history of Azerbaijan when the national statehood was in danger, the then authorities taking a correct view of the situation and making the right decision, invited Heydar Aliyev, an eminent state leader, who has an authority both with the overwhelming majority of the population of the republic and on the international political arena, to Baku and only his control over the situation saved Azerbaijan from many possible tragedies. Using his rich experience in the state administration, diplomatic talent, which was recognized even by the most formidable adversaries and great authority Heydar Aliyev first managed to stabilize the situation in the country, and then since 1996 obvious progress has been achieved in all spheres of life in the Azerbaijan society. The reforms implemented into the system of the state administration, in the social sphere, in the economic system promoted social and political stability in the country and averted economic regress. At present, Azerbaijan can be positively noted among the countries of the former Soviet Union speaking about the depth of the reforms introduced in the country, the importance of the changes in social and political life, the economy’s growth rates, the degree of the independence of its home and foreign policy. The Azerbaijani state, which declared the integration into Europe the priority of its foreign policy, is eager to perform all its activities in all spheres of social life within the framework of the conditions that result from this priority.
As a result of stability in the social, political and economic life and as a consequence of this economic progress, as well as the understanding by the Azerbaijani society of the advantages of the system of democratic, secular, law-governed state administration and free market economy, the popular in some post-soviet countries slogans about the return to the communist system of governing and planned economy are not advanced by any political forces acting in Azerbaijan, and are not supported by any sections of the population. Thanks to this stability and progress Azerbaijan could sign contracts on the prospects and production of power resources and succeeded in their realization. The works carried out within this multibillion projects on the transportation of carbo-hydrogen resources to the world markets Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Arzurum have already entered a new phase, and Azerbaijan which is an initiator of all these projects is able to continue to meet these obligations, develop its transport infrastructure in accordance with the TRACECA project.
But we can not assert that this stability and progress meet the interests of all states and forces which try to involve Azerbaijan into the sphere of their influence and interfere in social and political processes inside the country. Because of the above mentioned and not mentioned here reasons, the bearers of these interest try to direct the course of these events into the desired channel by means of creating artificial disturbances of the public peace in the country. The present moment when the Azerbaijani society is preparing for the presidential elections, when the pre-election race is at its peak, is considered to be the best time for these forces. Lately the Internet pages, the international mass media inform us that using inexperience of some political forces and their inability to size up the situation adequately, taking the advantage of the freedom of speech, meeting, information, increasing the importance of some existing problems of social and economic character, external forces which have their own strategic, political and economic interests in Azerbaijan and their internal followers can provoke internal confrontation and artificial tension.
But the Azerbaijan society, which survived in the tragedy at the beginning of 1990-s understands pretty well now, that such tries and “black” intentions can plunge the country into chaos and anarchy, disrupt the stability which has recently been achieved through superman efforts, inflict a blow on success, achieved on the international arena. The present social, political and economic situation in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the image of the country on the international arena demand, that the home and foreign policy, economic reforms and the process of the perfecting of the legislation which have been conducted in the last years, should be continued.
Analyses, research, facts, truth and realities help us to state the fact that even if present President Heydar Aliyev who has the most chances among all the presidential nominees withdraws his candidacy on October 15, 2003, due to the reason connected with his health, the logic prompts that every Azerbaijani citizen thinking about his future and having the right to vote will vote for the most reliable follower of Heydar Aliyev’s policy and will entrust him with the government of the state.
And this, in my opinion, is the most reliable guarantee that the policy of Azerbaijan, which has been determined and is being conducted under the leadership of President Heydar Aliyev will be continued and the country will develop, by means of integration in Europe by means of progress and democracy.
Ioan Pop de Popa
Academician, Senator,
Secretary General of the
Romanian-Azerbaijani Friendship Society