Expert: Gasanov tries to keep up with Aliyev’s bellicose statements

At the meeting with reporters today, Sargis Asatrian, an expert on Azerbaijan, discussed the October 9 presidential elections in Azerbaijan.

“As expected, the incumbent President Ilham Aliyev was reelected. He had no serious rival from the opposition. As long as there is apparent stability in Azerbaijan, he will be constantly reelected, “the expert said.

Commenting on the cadre changes made following Ilham Aliyev’s reelection, Sargis Asatrian dwelled on the appointment of Zakir Gasanov as defense minister. Gasanov has succeeded Safar Abiyeb who held that post for 18 years.

“A scandal was brewing over Safar Abiyev after the presidential elections - rumors were circulating that during a meeting with the U.S. ambassador, he recorded and filmed their conversation, which is a violation of diplomatic ethics,” Asatrian said.
Besides, in his words, all negative phenomena in the Azerbaijani army were linked with Abiyev’s name. “So these changes were necessary,” Asatrian said.

As regards more frequent violations of the ceasefire on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the expert noted that this should be viewed as a gesture of the newly-appointed defense minister of Azerbaijan.

“The new defense minister tries to keep up with Ilham Aliyev’s bellicose statements and remind the neighboring country that the militarist policy will continue,” Sargis Asatrian stressed.

In response to a question about the neutral position of international structures and the application of double standards concerning the ceasefire violations, Asatrian said that the missions conducting monitoring at the border are not taken seriously anymore.

“They don’t want to make tough statements so as not to offend Azerbaijan, so to speak, because there are some big plans related to that country, let alone its oil and gas resources. Azerbaijan is an alternative oil and gas supplier for the West whose super task is to get rid of its dependence on Russia,” the expert noted.

According to him, these realities ensure some space for Azerbaijan, allowing it to maneuver in that space, even in case of tough statements such as the OSCE/ODIHR assessments of the elections.

The expert said that given that factor, Azerbaijan manages to bribe some European officials and get positive or neutral assessments. In order to counter this, it is necessary to intensify efforts in the sphere of propaganda, Asatrian said in conclusion.