Azerbaijan: Medvedev Makes Splash in Baku, But is it More Style than Substance?

Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev concluded July 3 talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev by pronouncing Baku to be Moscow’s "strategic partner." Meanwhile, the head of the Kremlin-controlled conglomerate Gazprom, Alexei Miller, announced that talks would soon begin on the Russian firm’s purchase of Azerbaijani gas. But experts remain unconvinced that the upbeat rhetoric surrounding Medvedev’s visit will lead to any change in the existing bilateral relationship. During their meeting in Baku, Medvedev and Aliyev issued a declaration of friendship and presided over the signing of four intergovernmental agreements covering such areas as customs and privatization. The friendship declaration was vaguely worded and short on specifics, although Russia did seem to endorse Baku’s position that any political settlement of the... [read full story]