Azerbaijan has never participated in UN peacekeeping operations, but non-UN peace operations. The main reason why Azerbaijan has not contributed troops to UN peace operations relies on its foreign policy. The principal aim of Azerbaijan's international relations is to maintain its independence by pursuing a "complementary" foreign policy—balancing relations with its larger regional neighbors, as well as with the EU and the US (EIU 2006d, 14). However, for historical and trade reasons, relations with Russia tend to dominate foreign policy (Ibid.). Thus, UN peacekeeping is not a priority for Azerbaijan. The UN Security Council stated that it is ready to deploy a peacekeeping force in Nagorno Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan where a cease-fire is in force (UNP 1995, 53). Same as Armenia, they are part of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) (NATO), although Azerbaijan is still technically at war with Armenia over the disputed region of Nagorno Karabakh, a ceasefire has held—albeit with minor violations—since 1994 (EIU 2006d, 16).
With regards to the country’s participation in non-UN operations, Azerbaijan was to become the 22nd state to send servicemen to form part of the peacekeeping contingent in Afghanistan in 2002, which numbered 4,800 (ITAR-TASS 2002a, par. 1).
Initial variables of the data collection process:
UN/UN peacekeeping policy reform
No record.
Perception of peacekeeping
Peacekeeping has mixed perceptions in Azerbaijan. There are growing fears that Russian 'peacekeeping' troops in neighboring countries could be a cover for a new military imperialism (FT 1993, par. 2). In Azerbaijan, Azeri officials say that the government is being covertly backed by 200 Russian military advisers, in return for which Russian state-owned oil group Lukoil will gain a stake in Azerbaijan oil fields (Ibid.). Thus, peacekeeping related to Russia, is seen negatively.
Domestic economic environment
In 1994 Azerbaijan signed an oil contract worth $7.4bn with a Western consortium (BBC 2006e, par. 3). Since then Western companies have invested millions in the development of the country's oil and gas reserves (Ibid.). However, the economy as a whole has not benefited as much as it might have done (Ibid.). The government will use revenue from the oil sector to rise spending on wages and infrastructure (EIU 2006ba, 1). Thus, peacekeeping is not seen as a source of income for the population.
Domestic political environment
The president, Ilham Aliyev, will continue to consolidate his authority by sidelining potential political rivals and replacing them with loyalists (Ibid.). This will provide him with a solid base of support from which to contest the 2008 presidential election (Ibid.). But peacekeeping will not be in the agenda in the near future. The foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, is set to meet his counterpart from Armenia for another round of talks on Nagorno Karabakh (Ibid., 2). However, a breakthrough in the negotiations is not expected (Ibid.). Moreover, the approach of elections in both countries is likely to result in a stalling of the peace process until at least 2009 (Ibid.).
Military affairs
The quality of the military forces is poor (EIU 2006d, 16). The armed forces have been a source of instability in Azerbaijan and are therefore not trusted by the government (Ibid.).
Few Azerbaijanis reached the top ranks of the Soviet armed forces and relatively few served as officers. As a result, the quality of the military is poor and troops tend to be stationed separately from their heavy equipment. The armed forces are no match for the heavily armed Nagorno Karabakh Armenians. The IISS in London puts the total active strength of the Azerbaijani forces at 66,490, of whom 56,840 are in the army. There is a separate force of 10,000 troops governed by the Ministry of the Interior and 5,000 border guards, also controlled by the interior ministry. (Ibid.)
Foreign policy
The principal aim of Azerbaijan's international relations is to maintain its independence by pursuing a "complementary" foreign policy—balancing relations with its larger regional neighbors, as well as with the EU and the US (Ibid., 14). However, “for historical and trade reasons, relations with Russia tend to dominate foreign policy” (Ibid.). Ties with Iran are subject to tension (Ibid.). In the case of the USA’s "war on terror" and energy sector, “developments in those areas are the main factors shaping Azerbaijan's relations with the US” (Ibid., 15). Given its location, “Azerbaijan is of geostrategic importance to the US, not only for providing an access route to Afghanistan, but also for its potential assistance in any US-led operations in Iran” (Ibid.).
Additional variables found after the preliminary analysis:
The principal aim of Azerbaijan's international relations is to maintain its independence by pursuing a "complementary" foreign policy—balancing relations with its larger regional neighbors, as well as with the EU and the US (Ibid., 14). However, “for historical and trade reasons, relations with Russia tend to dominate foreign policy” (Ibid.). Ties with Iran are subject to tension (Ibid.). In the case of the USA’s "war on terror" and energy sector, “developments in those areas are the main factors shaping Azerbaijan's relations with the US” (Ibid., 15). Given its location, “Azerbaijan is of geostrategic importance to the US, not only for providing an access route to Afghanistan, but also for its potential assistance in any US-led operations in Iran” (Ibid.).
Additional variables found after the preliminary analysis:
Climate changes
No record.
Independent negotiations taken by DPKO to seek troops
No record.
Independent negotiations taken by contributor countries to engage non-contributor countries
The USA has sought support on its military activities in Iraq. “Eighty-four more Azerbaijani soldiers made for Iraq” in 2004 to “carry out a peacekeeping mission and they will replace other soldiers whose service term in Iraq has expired” (ANS TV 2004, par. 1). Washington’s military assistance to Baku depends on Azerbaijan’s peacekeeping activities (Ekho 2004, par. 2). Azerbaijan can extend the term by at least a year (Ibid).
Azerbaijan was to become the 22nd state to send servicemen to form part of the peacekeeping contingent in Afghanistan (ITAR-TASS 2002a, par. 1). British sources in Kabul stated that 30 Azeri servicemen would be arriving in the Afghan capital in November 2002 (Ibid.). Ukraine has made a proposal to Azerbaijan "to synchronize efforts" in the fulfillment of peacekeeping operations, including in Iraq, Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhen Marchuk told journalists after talks with Azeri Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev (Ibid., par. 2).
Meetings organized by other international organizations to engage in dialogue about peacekeeping
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders planned to form a peace force in the early 1990s (Hiatt 1992, par. 1). NATO recognized the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all the countries involved in the PfP program, NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Defence Planning and Operations John Colston said in Baku at a meeting with the personnel of the State Customs Service of Azerbaijan (Regnun 2005, par. 1 quoting Colston 2005).
The body he works for is actively cooperating with international organizations to maintain stability in the South Caucasus. "Azerbaijan has taken the right path of rapprochement with the Euro-Atlantic alliance and will make its contribution to the development of international cooperation in the filed of defence," he noted. He also thanked the Azerbaijani leadership for the progressive policy of participation in NATO activities in Afghanistan and Kosovo. (Ibid., par. 2)
