Americans In Azerbaijan: A Friendly Place?

Azerbaijan's relationship with the United States has been influenced by various factors, including energy security, economic interests, and geopolitical considerations. The U.S. established diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan in 1992 following its independence from the Soviet Union, and the two countries have since collaborated on issues such as European energy security, bilateral trade, and counterterrorism efforts. However, tensions have arisen due to the U.S.'s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with some critics arguing that the U.S. has taken a biased stance. Azerbaijan has also developed relationships with Russia and Iran, which has caused concern in the West. Despite these complexities, Azerbaijan is generally viewed as a valuable ally to the U.S., especially in the context of energy resources and regional stability.

Azerbaijan's relations with Russia and Iran

Azerbaijan and Russia are de facto and de jure allies, with bilateral relations existing between the two countries. The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Russia and Azerbaijan are also allies in the military sphere. Russia is one of Azerbaijan's main suppliers of arms, with military and technical cooperation valued at $4 billion in 2013. Trade and economic cooperation between the two countries is also on the rise. In 2008, trade turnover between Russia and Azerbaijan increased by 39.3% year-on-year, totalling $2.403 billion.

However, relations between the two countries have been tense at times. In the 1990s, Azerbaijani nationalists perceived Russia as the patron state of Armenia, and the Azerbaijani government under Abulfaz Elchibey was considered "anti-Russian". In 2012, Russia's lease of the Gabala Radar Station in Azerbaijan was not renewed, and Russia subsequently constructed a new radar station in its Krasnodar region. In the same year, Russia stopped the transit of Azeri oil via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline and held an Azerbaijani tanker in Dagestan on suspicion of hauling contraband. Russia has also supplied weapons to Armenia, which has been in conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In recent years, relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have improved. In 2020, following Azerbaijan's victory in the Nagorno-Karabakh war, Russian peacekeeping forces were deployed in the region. In 2022, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an "alliance" agreement, and Russia supported the Azerbaijani Zangezur corridor plan. However, the Azerbaijani government has also condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Ukraine has accused Azerbaijan of evading sanctions against Russia.

Iran was one of the first countries to establish full diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan following the latter's independence in 1991. Iran and Azerbaijan share historical, cultural, and religious ties, with both countries having majority Shia Muslim populations. Both countries are members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

However, there have been tensions between the two countries due to political differences. Azerbaijan has become increasingly pro-Western and has close ties with Israel and Turkey, while Iran is largely pro-Russian and pro-Chinese due to its hostility towards the US. Iran has also supported Armenia, with which Azerbaijan has a long-standing conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. There have been allegations of Iranian media broadcasts spreading anti-Azerbaijani propaganda, and Iranian support for separatist movements within Azerbaijan. In recent years, Azerbaijan has also suspended oil and gas trade with Iran in support of US sanctions, and hosted Israeli listening posts along its border with Iran.

Despite these tensions, there have been periods of improved relations between the two countries. In 2014-2016, with the election of Hassan Rouhani as president of Iran, relations between the two countries improved significantly. In 2015, the two countries formed a joint defence commission and discussed cooperation in the petrochemical sector. In 2023, following a period of escalating tensions, including an attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran, relations between the two countries began to thaw once again.

US-Azerbaijani security relations

The United States established diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan in 1992, following its independence from the Soviet Union. The two countries work together to promote European energy security, expand bilateral trade and investment, and combat terrorism and transnational threats. The US is committed to strengthening democracy and promoting economic diversification in Azerbaijan.

In support of the US-led War on Terror, Azerbaijan has played a crucial role. In addition to troop contributions, the country has provided overflight, refueling, and landing rights for US and coalition aircraft bound for Afghanistan and Iraq. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has shared intelligence to combat terrorism financing and has detained and prosecuted suspected terrorists.

The US State Department has offered financial support to enhance Azerbaijan's security structures, demonstrating their commitment to strengthening the country's security capabilities. Over one-third of the nonlethal equipment used by the US military in Afghanistan, including fuel, clothing, and food, travels through Baku, highlighting the significance of Azerbaijan's logistical support.

Azerbaijan's strategic location in the Caucasus region and its proximity to Central Asia make it a valuable partner for the US in promoting regional security and stability. The country's participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Partnership for Peace program further underscores its commitment to international security and cooperation.

The US and Azerbaijan share a common interest in countering threats from Russia and Iran. Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian and political support to Ukraine, drawing criticism from Russia. Additionally, Azerbaijan has opposed Iran's aggressive foreign policy and has strengthened its relationship with Israel, a key US ally, despite tensions with Tehran.

In conclusion, US-Azerbaijani security relations are multifaceted and play a crucial role in promoting regional stability, countering terrorism, and advancing shared strategic interests. The partnership between the two countries has strengthened over time, and Azerbaijan has proven to be a valuable ally to the US in addressing global security challenges.

US-Azerbaijani economic relations

US-Azerbaijani relations were established in 1992 following Azerbaijan's independence from the Soviet Union. The two countries have a Trade Relations Agreement and a Bilateral Investment Treaty. The US and Azerbaijan periodically convene the US-Azerbaijan Economic Partnership Commission to discuss bilateral cooperation to promote trade and investment. The US has long supported Azerbaijan's efforts to develop and export its energy resources to Western markets. Crude oil is the largest import from Azerbaijan to the US. US companies are involved in offshore oil development projects in Azerbaijan, export aircraft and heavy machinery to the country, and are considering opportunities in agriculture, telecommunications, tourism, transportation services, and other fields.

Azerbaijan is a beneficiary country under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, which provides an incentive for investors to produce in Azerbaijan and export selected products duty-free to the US market. Azerbaijan's Law on Protection of Foreign Investments permits foreign direct investment in any activity in which a national investor may also invest, with some exceptions in the national security and defense sectors. The US considers Azerbaijan to have succeeded to the rights and obligations of the former USSR under the US-USSR Tax Treaty.

The US and Azerbaijan are both members of several international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. Azerbaijan is an observer to the Organization of American States and the World Trade Organization, and it participates in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Partnership for Peace program.

The US provides assistance to Azerbaijan to improve its capacity to deal with security threats, increase and diversify economic development, and promote independent institutions and civil society. US government aid to Azerbaijan focuses on democratic development assistance, with an emphasis on support for civil society, independent media, and the rule of law.

US-Azerbaijani democratic relations

The United States established diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan in 1992, following its independence from the Soviet Union. The two countries have since collaborated on several fronts, including promoting European energy security, expanding bilateral trade and investment, and combating terrorism and transnational threats. The US is committed to strengthening democracy and promoting economic diversification in Azerbaijan.

US-Azerbaijani relations have been significantly influenced by the US position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The US has been actively involved in attempts to resolve the conflict since 1992. As part of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mission, US Secretary of State James Baker III proposed a set of rules that defined the representation of the conflicting sides within the OSCE Minsk Group negotiation format.

In 1992, the US Congress adopted Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, banning direct US aid to Azerbaijan. This was due to the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan on Armenia during the first Nagorno-Karabakh War. However, after the September 11 attacks, Congress passed the foreign appropriations legislation of 2002, granting the President the right to waive Section 907. President George W. Bush waived the section in 2002, and President Barack Obama further extended that waiver.

The US and Azerbaijan have a strong security partnership, with Azerbaijan actively participating in NATO's Partnership for Peace program and US-led missions in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Azerbaijan has also provided crucial support for the US-led War on Terror, including troop contributions, overflight and landing rights for US and coalition aircraft, and information sharing to combat terrorism financing.

In terms of economic cooperation, US-Azerbaijani ties are primarily focused on Caspian energy resources and their transportation to Western markets. US companies are involved in the development of offshore Azerbaijani oilfields, and the US government supported the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline as the primary route for transporting Caspian oil. The US has also signed a bilateral trade agreement and a bilateral investment treaty with Azerbaijan, granting it the status of a "most-favored nation".

While US officials praise Azerbaijan as the first secular democracy in a majority-Muslim nation, independent assessments of democratic governance often give the country poor scores. The US government provides democratic development assistance to Azerbaijan, with a focus on supporting civil society, independent media, and the rule of law.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians until 2023, and seven surrounding districts, inhabited mostly by Azerbaijanis until their expulsion during the 1990s. The conflict escalated into a full-scale war in the early 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The war, which resulted in roughly thirty thousand casualties and hundreds of thousands of refugees, ended in a ceasefire in 1994, with Nagorno-Karabakh de facto independent and heavily reliant on Armenia.

Since the 1994 ceasefire, there have been intermittent clashes, violations, and border tensions between the two countries, with the most intense fighting since the war occurring in April 2016, leading to hundreds of casualties. In September 2020, large-scale fighting broke out again, resulting in thousands of casualties and a significant Azerbaijani victory. A ceasefire agreement was signed in November 2020, with Azerbaijan regaining control of the seven surrounding districts and a substantial part of Nagorno-Karabakh itself. The rest of Nagorno-Karabakh is patrolled by a Russian peacekeeping force but is still governed by self-proclaimed local authorities.

The conflict has been strongly influenced by the official position of external powers, including the US, which has been actively involved in attempts to resolve the conflict since 1992. The US has provided military aid to both countries and has, along with France and Russia, co-chaired the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which was created in 1994 to mediate the dispute. However, negotiation and mediation efforts have failed to produce a permanent solution to the conflict, and territorial disputes remain.

In September 2022, Azerbaijan initiated its largest attack on Armenia, leading to the militarization of borders and disruption of livelihoods for residents in border communities. In December 2022, Azerbaijan launched an illegal blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in a humanitarian crisis. A military offensive in September 2023 led to a ceasefire agreement, with the government of the Republic of Artsakh agreeing to disarm and enter into talks with Azerbaijan regarding the reintegration of the territory. The political status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains unresolved, and despite offers of Azerbaijani citizenship, Artsakh residents do not trust Azerbaijan's guarantees of security.

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