Russia-Azerbaijan-Turkey-Iran format - potentially strongest in region

2 July 2018 18:44 (UTC+04:00)

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The quadripartite cooperation between Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran has the strongest potential in the region from the economic point of view, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the Lower House of Parliament of Russia Dmitry Saveliev told Trend July 2.

He was commenting on the results of the conference entitled as "Azerbaijan is the only ally of Russia in the South Caucasus" which was held July 1 in Jojug Marjanli village of Jabrayil region.

The deputy chairman noted that, the "Moscow-Baku", "Moscow-Ankara" and "Moscow-Tehran" vectors with the constant mediation of Azerbaijan can form a powerful continental Eurasian bloc and radically reformat the geopolitical situation in the region.

"It is very important that new political vectors have emerged recently which complement the long-established ties on the Moscow-Baku axis and are able to significantly change the geopolitical situation in the Eurasian space," Saveliev said.

Saveliev emphasizes that first of all this refers to the expansion of Russia-Turkey relations.

"In political terms, Turkey has a negative attitude to the Western practice of anti-Russian sanctions and is the only NATO country that has ceased to follow the US and entered into a strategic alliance with Russia, proceeding from its own interests," the deputy chairman said.

Saveliev reminded that, the proactive cooperation in the settlement of the Syrian conflict has increased the trust of the countries in each other in the fields of nuclear and oil and gas energy, transport and trade.

"This alliance has geopolitical advantages as well. For example, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Bulgaria are ready to join the "Turkish stream" gas pipeline, which indicates that the countries of Eastern Europe are disappointed with the politically bankrupt European Union and are ready to build a new system of relations with Russia and Turkey," Saveliev believes.

The deputy chairman also recalled that, while Europe puts endless barriers to Turkey's accession to the European Union, Moscow offers Ankara the conclusion of the customs agreement with the Eurasian Union. And since Azerbaijan is a long-standing strategic partner of Turkey, at the same time having close economic and historical ties with Russia, there is clearly a possibility of proactive mutually beneficial cooperation within the Russia-Azerbaijan-Turkey triangle.

Saveliev noted that, another important geopolitical vector is the Russian-Iranian relations.

"As a result of the United States' withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran, the Islamic Republic has entered into a serious confrontation with the US, which can increase tension and destabilize the situation in the region. However, as Vladimir Putin said at the SCO's enlarged meeting in Qingdao, China, Russia intends to fulfill all its obligations under the deal," he said.

The deputy chairman reminded that, Russia has reached a number of agreements with Azerbaijan and Iran on the status of the Caspian Sea, and the construction of the North-South transport corridor, passing through the territory of Azerbaijan and representing an alternative to the clogged trade routes between Europe and Asia, has been completed.

"Azerbaijan has a clear interest in cooperation with Iran and Russia in the development of transport infrastructure and the settlement of the status of the Caspian Sea, and, accordingly, Azerbaijan can also become an important negotiation platform and an active participant of relations within the Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran triangle," Saveliev added.

Saveliev noted that, this will serve the development of the multi-vector foreign policy for the country, the foundations of which were laid by Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev.

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