Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus policy of great powers

Abstract

With its geopolitical position, natural resources, economic potential and other superior features, Azerbaijan is an important country in the South Caucasus. One of the main factors that have a positive impact on the geopolitical value of Azerbaijan and its relations with foreign countries is its significant geopolitical and geographical location. The position of Azerbaijan at the intersection of major trade routes along with the emerging East-West and North-South transport and energy corridors provides an important asset to transforming the country into an energy and infrastructure hub. Given the dynamic socio-economic development achieved over the last decade and future development potential, the Republic of Azerbaijan is considered to be geopolitically the most important and promising country in the region. Its geopolitical character sets the country’s dynamic development, its place and role in the international arena, and the value of bilateral and multilateral partnerships. The implementation of the new oil strategy and transnational energy-transport and communication projects laid down by President Heydar Aliyev in 1994 has turned Azerbaijan into an attractive partner for the world’s leading states and companies. The fulfillment of the Southern Gas Corridor project will add new successes to “Contract of the Century” and to Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project created on the basis thereof. Given the abovementioned factors, the regional and international powers are naturally interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan.

Keywords

• united kingdom
• the united states
• european union
• security and defence policy
• common foreign and security policy