Enab Baladi – Amir Huquq
After a prolonged political isolation, Damascus has broken the barrier of loneliness and is stepping towards establishing relations with its counterparts, in an attempt to regain its international standing.
The new network of relations for Damascus outlines its new positioning, closer to the Western camp, as evidenced clearly by the agreement with the United States, and relationships with countries that had little presence in Syria during Assad’s rule, such as Azerbaijan and South Korea.
The political and international openness occurring in the Syrian scene is reflected in international delegations visiting Syria and the official visits made by the Syrian president for the transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, or the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asaad al-Shibani.
Mutual benefit
Among the delegations that landed in Damascus was the Azerbaijani delegation, represented by the Deputy Prime Minister, Samir Sharifov, on May 4, who met with President al-Sharaa to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Republic of Azerbaijan reopened its embassy in Syria on January 4, after a 12-year hiatus, as a step to resume diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Political analyst Hassan al-Nifi believes, in an interview with Enab Baladi, that the visit of the Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister to Syria embodies Azerbaijan’s desire to establish new relations following the significant transformations that have transpired in the governance structure in Damascus.
He explained that this stems from Azerbaijan’s view of Syria as the nucleus for major political strategies in the Middle East.
He attributed this to its geographic location adjacent to Israel on one hand, and because it was during Assad’s era a geographic focal point for Iran’s policies towards the countries in the region. The fall of Bashar al-Assad may open new horizons for Azerbaijan to take an active role in the region.
Researcher in Arab and African affairs, Ali Fawzi, stated to Enab Baladi that the visit carries deep political connotations, as it comes as part of the regional repositioning of Syria and its opening to new partners after years of political isolation.
The relationship between the two countries indicates a new phase in Syria’s foreign relations, especially with the Central Asian countries.
He believes that Azerbaijan sees Syria as an effective party in the regional equation, especially in light of the geopolitical overlaps associated with the Middle East and Central Asia.
A mediator between Syria and Israel
Syria today seeks to capitalize on political and economic interests with any country that resumes relations with it, as a step to organize its standing and utilize these relations to serve its priorities.
Political analyst Hassan al-Nifi believes that communication between Azerbaijan and Syria is linked to security tensions between Syria and Israel, and Azerbaijan, with its positive relations with Israel, aspires to play a mediating role between the two parties that could lead to a political settlement deemed a political achievement for Azerbaijan.
The Turkish role in this context cannot be ignored; Azerbaijan has witnessed repeated meetings between the Turkish and Israeli sides to negotiate and finalize understandings regarding the conflicts between Ankara and Tel Aviv over the Syrian geography.
Researcher Ali Fawzi noted that strengthening relations between Syria and Azerbaijan could open wide prospects in the fields of diplomacy, economy, and energy.
He stressed that mutual political support and enhancing official channels between the two countries could contribute to breaking the isolation imposed on Damascus and creating new balances that serve its interests, especially in international forums.
He explained that Syria could benefit from the Azerbaijani model in building balanced relationships with major powers such as Russia and Turkey.
He pointed out that Azerbaijan plays a role in supporting the Syrian position in international and regional organizations, in addition to the possibility of economic cooperation through exchanging experiences in the energy sector and diversifying partnerships.
Enhancing its role in the region
As for Azerbaijan’s gains and interests in Syria, political analyst Hassan al-Nifi sees that Azerbaijan aspires, with its good relations with Turkey, to have a role in Syria concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict, in addition to its desire for its companies to partake in the reconstruction and investment process in Syria.
“Baku understands the importance of Syria’s geographical and political position in the heart of the Middle East and seeks to enhance its presence in the region through transport and energy projects and strategic partnerships that enable it to expand its diplomatic influence,” according to researcher Ali Fawzi.
Fawzi concluded his remarks by asserting that strengthening relations with Damascus serves Azerbaijan’s goals in establishing a new political balance in the region, especially amid the rapid changes on both the regional and global levels.
The economic relationship
On May 5, Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry, Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, held a meeting with Azerbaijani Vice President of the Council of Ministers, Samir Sharifov, to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.
The two sides discussed opportunities to enhance economic and investment cooperation, opening new horizons for trade exchange and joint development in various sectors.
Economic researcher Adham Qudaimati told Enab Baladi that cooperation between Syria and Azerbaijan generates numerous investment opportunities and collaborative prospects between the two countries, as the economic climate in Azerbaijan is developed, from which Syria can benefit.
According to Qudaimati, some of the prominent sectors for cooperation could include agriculture, given that Azerbaijan is highly advanced in smart agriculture, especially under semi-arid conditions, related to the water scarcity currently facing Syria. This cooperation is considered a first step between the two countries.
He pointed to the significance of the energy sector, like oil and gas, indicating that Syria could benefit from its economic relationship with Azerbaijan to develop oil fields and explore new fields.
“The technological sector must not be overlooked, utilizing Azerbaijani expertise in this field,” according to Qudaimati, through localizing the sector in Syria fundamentally, as there is always a call to avoid importing technology but to direct towards settling this industry in Syria, which requires substantial research centers and investments, and benefits from the experiences of other countries like Azerbaijan.
Mutual benefit draws relations between Damascus and Baku Enab Baladi.
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