Battle for the Caucasus: Azerbaijan needs a stable Georgia

Georgia is a close neighbor of Azerbaijan and a good friend. There have been misunderstandings and differences in the history of relations between these young independent states, but they have always been resolved as problems between close nations are resolved.

The Azerbaijani side has always been interested in and concerned about what is happening in Georgia. Despite Azerbaijan's policy of non-alignment and Georgia's pursuit of integration into the EU and ideally NATO, the difference in foreign policy orientations has never created problems in relations. Both countries have always respected each other's sovereignty and have been aware of the inadmissibility of interference in the affairs of their neighbor. Perhaps, thanks to our choice, our country has moved faster along the path that Georgia is still on. This is the way of becoming true independence, when a country firmly establishes that it is a sovereign and self-reliant state that does not allow external interests into its personal space.

Over the past year and a half, Georgia has been making efforts to clear its personal space of outside influence, to stand firm in a difficult confrontation with the West, and to force itself to be reckoned with.

I must say that to some extent, Tbilisi is already beginning to succeed. The steadfastness with which the authorities have withstood the turmoil of recent months is admirable. The results of this resistance are already becoming apparent. Despite the loud hysteria in European institutions and some European capitals, the revocation of the visa-free regime and other punitive measures, Europe began to realize that Georgia would not succumb to blackmail, and if this continued, it would truly be lost to the West.

The day before, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berse, arrived in Georgia. He came here voluntarily. He met with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, and President Mikheil Kavelashvili. After the meeting with Berse, Kobakhidze stated, "We have agreed that close cooperation between our country and the Council of Europe will continue." The details of the meetings were not disclosed—hence they are closed.

It seems that it was not possible to play the Georgian card. This is completely unexpected for the West, which is used to playing out its own scenarios in this country. The situation is on the way to stabilization, and Azerbaijan is one of those who is very pleased with this. As President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with Dmitry Kiselyov, CEO of MIA Rossiya Segodnya, destabilization or the threat of destabilization in Georgia is harmful to Azerbaijan just as much as it is to Georgia itself. According to the Azerbaijani President, the situation in and around Georgia is, in fact, a battle for the Caucasus. The issue of Georgia, he believes, is much broader than it seems.

The main problem for Georgia is external interference, carried out through non-governmental organizations. Azerbaijan once faced the same problem, but our country did not seek integration with Europe, so it quickly dealt with this threat to Azerbaijani statehood, not allowing it to grow.

As the head of state said in an interview with Kiselyov, there are thousands of non-governmental organizations in Georgia that receive funding from the West. The people who work or receive salaries in these organizations are probably tens of thousands, if not more.

"And we know what it is like. Because there was a period here in our country when grant-eaters and grant-givers also felt at ease, but we stopped it. And therefore, any grant issued by any structure, whether Azerbaijani or foreign, must be registered, and the relevant authorities decide whether to allow it or not," the President of Azerbaijan said.

When asked how this aligns with Azerbaijan's national interests, President Ilham Aliyev unequivocally replied: "Naturally." Because aid should be unobtrusive. Let's add, on our own, that it should be accepted voluntarily, in a sane mind and with sober memory, and not under pressure or blackmail. Take, for example, the American USAID, which, as the head of state noted, "wants to help, but for some reason, it does not help where we need it."

In Azerbaijan, these issues have long been brought in line with the norms of national legislation and national interests. Some call it a problem with rights and freedoms, but in reality, it is a struggle against disorder and chaos. We remember what happened before the ban on foreign financing. NGOs grew like mushrooms after the rain, most of them worked against the interests of their country, and the so-called "free" media engaged in outright racketeering. In fact, it is very strange when the media or NGOs of one country are funded from the budget of another. Especially on the scale in which it was done by Western agencies and foundations. In the very homeland of USAID, there is a law on foreign agents, and media organizations and NGOs funded from abroad unconditionally fall under the "Law on Registration of Foreign Agents."

When such a law was adopted in Georgia, an explosion occurred. Non-governmental organizations and political parties that relied on Western grants were alarmed and took to the streets with the intention of intimidating the government and forcing it to retreat. The wave of protests grew quite powerful. The masses, which had been preparing and receiving support for many years for these purposes, were mobilized. It was not difficult to do this, because Georgia had been a bit late in addressing the problem, allowing it to grow to an alarming scale. Through their "troops" inside the country, external players directed the processes, staged coups, and fueled civil unrest. And today, the moment of truth has come for Georgia, when it can break the negative tradition.

This is necessary not only for Georgia but also for Azerbaijan. A new source of destabilization in the region could create irreversible problems, given how many interests intersect in this small area. The President of Azerbaijan is absolutely right when he calls the current situation a battle for the Caucasus. That is exactly the case. There is a war for influence in a region that is small in territory but strategically important. Azerbaijan is an absolutely independent player here, not susceptible to external influence. Armenia is already under control, though, as always—the only thing that has changed is the name of the owner. Interests foreign to the region have clashed in the South Caucasus, and it is important for Azerbaijan what happens to Georgia. Because this battle must be won, and it can only be won together.