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Moscow, Baku and Ankara

By Messenger Staff
Monday, January 25
Moscow continues to play well-designed political and economic games in the South Caucasus. In some areas these have been quite successful. For instance, Russia has welcomed and promoted the idea of a reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia and opening the borders between the two countries. This of course has created a negative reaction in Baku and relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan have become a bit strained, and Russia has immediately taken advantage of these developments as it had probably intended to to begin with.

First Moscow signed an agreement to buy extra Azeri natural gas in 2010. Then on January 21 yet another agreement on increasing Azeri gas supply to Russia was signed, and 2 billion cubic metres will now be sent in 2011. This agreement was signed by the CEO of Russia's state energy company Gazprom, Alexey Miller, and President of the Azeri state oil company SOCAR Rovnag Abdullaev. Under the current agreement Russia receives 500 million cubic metres of Azeri gas.

The new gas supply agreements are definitely a victory of Kremlin diplomacy, caused by it managing to plant a seed of discord between Ankara and Baku for its own strategic advantage. This is only one of the similar steps being taken by Russia in this region.