Mixed reaction from Azerbaijan to Russian pullout from Syria

Azerbaijani newspaper and politicians have mixed views concerning Russia's decision to withdraw most of its troops from Syria.

Some said that Russia has failed to achieve its military objectives or to secure al-Asad's political future. Others said that Moscow has managed to overcome its international isolation that followed the crisis in Ukraine.

"Too dangerous to carry on"

Azerbaijan's private Russia-language newspaper Ekho said on 16 March that Russia is not fully withdrawing from Syria. It still retains its naval and air forces bases in Syria.

It added that Russia did not wish to further back al-Asad's desire to stay in power or to risk stronger tensions with Turkey.

The paper pointed out that Israel was unhappy with the deliveries of Russian weapons to Syria and Iran because it said that they end up in the possession of Hamas and Hezbollah.

"Against this background, it was too dangerous for Russia to carry on its previous strategy in Syria. Yet, it still remains a question whether Moscow managed to leave without losing face," Ekho said.

"Good news"

The opposition daily Azadliq on 15 March published a statement by the chairman of the People's Front of Azerbaijan Party, Ali Karimli.

He described the withdrawal of the Russian troops from Syria as "good news" for Azerbaijan.

"Forget everything else, the missiles shot from the Caspian Sea to Syria threatened our independence. The conduct of active military operations by the Russian armed forces 1,500 km to the south of Azerbaijan was one of the main threats to the free choice of our people and to drastic political changes in our country," he was quoted as saying.

Given that the Islamic State group still exists and the Bashar al-Assad government is far from secure, Russia did not achieve its stated objectives, he added.

"Expanding the Syrian territory under the control of al-Asad from 15 per cent to 20 per cent does not change the situation in earnest," Karimli said.

He said that Russia's withdrawal also means that Turkey's role in Syria will remain or grow, the displacement and genocide of Syrian Turkmans will no longer be possible and all authoritarian regimes worldwide will realize that there is a limit to Russia's support for them.

"The obvious difference in opinion between Russia and Iran on the matter of not increasing oil production will become even stronger following Russia's decision on Syria," he added.

Limited success

Azerbaijani political analyst and MP Rasim Musabayov pointed out that Iran too has withdrawn its forces from Syria.

"The ayatollahs in Tehran and next Putin realized that Syria is a swamp, where no victory or stability can be achieved in the foreseeable future. Yet, there is a risk to clash directly with Turkey, backed by NATO. It is also risky for the Kremlin to oppose Saudi Arabia when it wishes to reach agreement on the price of oil," the minval.az website quoted Musabayov as saying on 15 March.

According to Musabayov, Putin achieved the goal of ending the international isolation that followed the crisis in Ukraine.

"The USA and EU talk with him, although they are in no hurry to lift the sanctions," he said.

Ukraine may be next

The private pro-government Baki Xabar newspaper said on 16 March that there are growing concerns in the West that after its withdrawal from Syria Russia may increase its military operations against Ukraine.

"The statements that the Kremlin issued of late and the processes in Donbass, which is under the control of the separatists, too increase the risk of a relaunch of the military operations," Baki Xabar said.

www.ann.az