By Seymur Mammadov
Russia's plans to open a consulate general in Khankendi in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region have sparked heated debates in public forums and have surprised and even alarmed many.
It seems that there is no need for concern. These intentions are not a threat but rather a desire to please the Azerbaijani side. Such gestures from Russia have been observed more frequently lately. For example, recently, the chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky, in a congratulatory speech at the Azerbaijani embassy in Moscow, concluded his remarks with the words "Karabakh is Azerbaijan!" So the plans voiced by Karasin are part of Moscow's new policy. Russia no longer relies on Armenia, allowing it to maneuver more in relations with Baku.
However, questions remain as there are no grounds for opening a Russian consulate general in Khankendi.
It is unlikely that a figure like Karasin simply shared his dreams. If this was said at a meeting with an Azerbaijani delegation, it means that such intentions already exist within the Russian Foreign Ministry and, one might say, are quite clearly outlined - Karasin promises to open the consulate this year. On the other hand, it is surprising that the intentions were announced publicly, although such decisions are usually announced only after their official approval. There are serious doubts that Baku is ready to open a Russian consulate in Khankendi, especially this year. As is known, three years ago, plans were announced to open a Turkish consulate in Shusha, but the diplomatic mission has still not appeared. It sounds absurd to assume that Baku is allegedly delaying the opening of a Turkish consulate while opening doors to Moscow. These are insinuations. Nothing more.
The opening of a diplomatic mission is not a quick matter. First, it is necessary to determine the advisability of such a step. Azerbaijani consulates in Russia are opened in full accordance with the logic of expediency. The Urals, the Far East, Siberia - these are territories where hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis live permanently or temporarily. And the consulate in St. Petersburg serves the interests of Azerbaijanis in the European part of Russia, where there are also many of them.
About 120,000 ethnic Russians reside in Azerbaijan, and in such a small country as ours, the embassy copes very well with consular services.
Karasin claims that this will be done to eliminate the imbalance in consular presence. Azerbaijan, in addition to the embassy, has two consulates in Russia - in Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg, while Russia has none in Azerbaijan. But the choice of Khankendi for opening a diplomatic mission is hardly the most appropriate. Whom is the Russian consulate going to serve in the Karabakh region? There would be no questions if such a decision of the Foreign Ministry concerned Ganja, Sumgayit, or Ismayilli District, where there are enough ethnic Russians. We are not even talking about Baku. Most of the Russian population lives in the capital, plus thousands of Russian migrants are here.
Plans for these cities would be understandable. Explaining the necessity of a consulate in Khankendi from a diplomatic perspective is very difficult. Before the Armenian occupation, there were Russian villages in the Karabakh region, but their population also faced ethnic cleansing. Yes, one day life will return to these villages, but why open a consulate for a couple of villages?
Concerns are associated with the persistent version that the Russian consulate will ensure the flooding of Karabakh with Armenians from Russia. This version is currently unviable because entry into the liberated territories is strictly limited even for local citizens. As for people of Armenian nationality, as is known, they are not allowed to enter the territory of Azerbaijan. Regardless of citizenship and country of residence. And these rules are unlikely to be lifted in the medium term. After the peace treaty is signed, it will still take a lot of time to restore trust.
One thing is certain - there is nothing to fear. First, a consulate does not mean the presence of alien interests on Azerbaijani soil. Advancing interests is the prerogative of embassies. Second, Baku has repeatedly proven that it calculates every step very well. It is believed that it will not miscalculate in this matter either.
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