Development of Moscow-Yerevan partnership in many respects depends on Moscow-Baku relations

PanARMENIAN.Net - Deterioration of bilateral relations between Russia and Azerbaijan in 2006 has got a logical continuation in 2007, head of the department of international relations at the institute of political and military studies Sergey Markedonov said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net He voiced regret that this vector of the Russian foreign policy has been left in the shade of Russia's complex relations with Georgia and Belarus as well as with the U.S. and EU member states. "Meanwhile, weakening of Russia's positions in the "Azeri direction" is pregnant with serious change of the whole geopolitical picture of the South Caucasus. The "cooling" between Baku and Moscow promotes rapprochement of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Both Baku and Tbilisi have a common problem of "territorial integrity" (which first united these states in the GUUAM and then GUAM) and discrepancies with Moscow on the unrecognized republics. Formation of the Tbilisi-Baku axis works for weakening of Russia's strategic partner in the South Caucasus, Armenia, and increases the latter's interest in expanding contacts with the U.S. and EU. Thus, development of the Russian-Armenian partnership in many respects depends on constructive relations between Russia and Azerbaijan," said Markedonov.

Full text of the interview