From regional leader to global energy power amidst evolving US relations Azerbaijan's new reality

Ahead of the US Independence Day, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to President Joseph Biden. It is worth delving into several salient points highlighted in the president's letter.

"Our longstanding and productive collaboration in the energy sector is of special importance. We highly appreciate the United States’ unwavering support for the realization of Azerbaijan's energy strategy and the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor, which plays a critical role in ensuring Europe's energy security," the President of Azerbaijan said in his message.

In this context, it is worth mentioning that President Biden recently addressed the participants of the Baku Energy Week. He stated that Azerbaijan plays a significant role in ensuring global energy supply security. Biden's address also highlighted that Caspian gas is being supplied to an increasing number of countries, helping Europe diversify its energy sources and accelerate the transition away from coal.

President Biden's address also emphasized that COP29 provides Azerbaijan with a unique opportunity to advance key global initiatives, such as reducing methane emissions in the oil and gas sector and promoting the transition to clean energy. As we can see, Baku and Washington share a common view on Azerbaijan's crucial role as a strong energy power.

There simply cannot be two opinions on this matter. The European Commission's report for the last quarter of 2023 also stated that Azerbaijan exported 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas to European Union (EU) countries last year.

Thus, Azerbaijan's share of the EU's total gas imports increased from 3 per cent in 2021 (8 billion cubic meters) to 7 per cent. It is no coincidence that the EU speaks of Azerbaijan's crucial role in ensuring the energy security of the Old Continent.

But that was not all. In his address to the participants of Baku Energy Week, President Biden called for regional stability and the conclusion of a strong and dignified peace agreement that would end decades of conflict, transform the South Caucasus, and change Azerbaijan's role in the region. He emphasized that the United States is ready to render support for the sake of future generations.

Now, let us focus on the congratulatory letter from President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to his US counterpart: " Azerbaijan advocates for an integrated and inclusive South Caucasus regional cooperation model based on new geopolitical realities and justice, free from any divisive lines.

As the initiator of the five principles that constitute the core of the peace treaty with Armenia, Azerbaijan demonstrates enduring political will in advancing the peace agenda. We commend the United States’ commitment to supporting the normalization of relations with Armenia, ensuring lasting peace in the region, and facilitating the preparation of a peace treaty.”

Azerbaijan advocates for building an integrated and inclusive model of regional cooperation in the South Caucasus, based on new geopolitical realities and fairness, without any dividing lines. As the initiator of the peace agreement with Armenia and the five principles that form its foundation, Azerbaijan consistently demonstrates the political will to advance the peace agenda. We value the United States' determination to always support the normalization of relations with Armenia, the establishment of a lasting peace in the region, and the process of preparing a peace treaty."

Azerbaijan has long established itself as a country capable of initiating and implementing projects of global significance. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars are examples of projects initiated and realized by our country, sometimes without support from the United States. The same can be said for the restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It is abundantly clear that the United States, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, could have done much more to uphold international law and restore justice. However, in reality, the United States, as we all remember, not only refrained from imposing any sanctions on Armenia for the occupation of 20 per cent of Azerbaijan’s territory but also adopted the discriminatory Section 907 against the country.

This amendment was passed in the same year that Armenia occupied Shusha and committed genocide against the peaceful Azerbaijani population in Khojaly. In short, Azerbaijan achieved its status as the leading state of the South Caucasus, having fully restored its territorial integrity and playing a crucial role for Europe and Central Asia, not thanks to, but in spite of, the policies of official Washington. The fact remains that the United States is now forced to accept this new reality and shape its policies in the region accordingly.

In this regard, the fact that Azerbaijan and China have reached the level of strategic partnership is of immense significance. Yes, another state, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has now become a strategic partner of Azerbaijan. This is a critical point, given the periodic attempts to exert political pressure on official Baku. From now on, China and Azerbaijan view each other as priority and reliable partners and independently determine the policy of their bilateral relations, regardless of external factors.

Moreover, China and Azerbaijan have agreed that the protection of human rights should be based on the inviolable principles of respect for the sovereignty of all countries and oppose the politicization and double standards on human rights issues.

Unfortunately, this is something the United States and several European countries still love to speculate about, applying a blatantly biased approach to Azerbaijan while ignoring the numerous crimes committed by Armenia against the country. Undoubtedly, having a strong strategic partner like China will better protect Azerbaijan from such pressure. This is a reality that the White House will now have to reckon with, regardless of who its next occupant will be.

By Akbar Hasanov