What is Azerbaijan Looking for in Saudi Arabia?

• 04.06.2017, 17:55
• Arpine Hovsepyan
•  Region,  Near East,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov during his official visit to Saudi Arabia met with Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Muhammad bin Salman. The two sides discussed the military cooperation between the countries. According to Azerbaijani media, Hasanov will also meet King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia started almost immediately after Azerbaijan gained independence: Saudi Arabia became one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan’s independence, and the two countries opened their embassies in Baku and El Riyadh respectively. Until the recent years, the relations between the two countries were not very warm, although in general they have been of a regular and partner nature.  But recently significant progress has been made in relations of the two countries. The main emphasis was made on the development of trade and economic relations. Moreover, as Azerbaijani experts often like to repeat, "Saudi Arabia considers Azerbaijan its main partner in the region".

Some experts explain the warming relations of these countries by the long-standing rivalry between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia for dominance in the Islamic world, which motivates the Saudi monarchy to strengthen its relations with Azerbaijan, trying to resist Iranian efforts and prevent Azerbaijan’s active involvement in the Shiite camp.

This point of view is quite acceptable, but not complete. During the recent years Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia have made great efforts to make "the Islamic factor" an important element of their relationship. It is not an accident that during the recent years the cooperation between the two countries has become evident in such areas as the military cooperation and interaction within the framework of international organizations  (especially Islamic).

Despite all the assurances of Baku that "Azerbaijan is a peace-loving country and makes considerable efforts to reduce tensions and create a good-neighborly climate in the region", in reality, it uses the "Islamic factor" to strengthen its military capabilities and to form "Islamic unity" in the issue of the Karabakh conflict.

It is clear that from the point of view of promoting the "Islamic factor", interests of Baku coincide with the main policy of El Riyadh, and it is not an accident either that these countries have close cooperation within the framework of Islamic organizations.

Thus, one may expect from the visit of the Azerbaijani Defense Minister to Saudi Arabia the deepening of cooperation between the countries at least in two directions: military cooperation and coordination of efforts within Islamic organizations.

Of course, it does not mean yet that the expansion of the Azerbaijani-Saudi relations will be without obstacles. One may confidently say that this relationship attracts Iran’s attention, and it is not an accident that Azerbaijan, in every possible way, tries to be cautious and not to take anti-Iranian steps.