President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev This week’s visit to Italy is noteworthy as a simultaneous expression of official Baku’s interests in the South Caucasus and in Europe. The expansion of Azerbaijan’s relations with Italy brings strategic benefits to bilateral relations.
Friendly relations with Italy, which is one of the strong members of the European Union and the “big seven” of the world, increase Azerbaijan’s room for manoeuvre. The positions gained by Azerbaijan through Italy increase its chances of becoming the centre of attention of the European Union.
About the topic “Caspian” We present the newspaper article.
An overview of Italian foreign policy
In order to understand the contours of President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Italy in terms of foreign policy, it is necessary to pay attention to the essence of the course followed by official Rome in the global and regional spheres. Italy maintains the strategic position of the transatlantic space in the fight against conflicts arising from its collective obligations as a member of NATO. For example, it supports Ukraine in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, while strengthening its role in the Mediterranean region.
However, Italy has decided to renew relations with Beijing, even though it has withdrawn from China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Rome favours a policy based on the reality of being economically beneficial to Beijing.
Italy prefers not to get involved in the broader strategic dispute between the United States and China, although it is also responsible for the European Union’s general concerns about Beijing.
Italy’s relations with Russia are ambivalent. Although official Rome currently unequivocally supports kyiv, there are different opinions within the Cabinet of Ministers and the opposition.
Overlap points
Italy strives to create common views on the importance of mutual understanding in foreign policy. In other words, although official Rome remains loyal to NATO’s collective approaches, it generally avoids the risks of large-scale escalation that can be created by the unrestricted dominance of a certain geopolitical pole in a mixed world order. This cannot be ignored as a reflection of the points that coincide with Azerbaijan’s balanced foreign policy. In this regard, Italy’s interests in the South Caucasus region are also of considerable importance. Italy attaches importance to meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in order to make clear calculations on how geopolitical conflicts in the South Caucasus will develop in the future.
Relations between Italy and Azerbaijan have been further strengthened with the Southern Gas Corridor project (TAP branch) and this has played a very valuable role for mutual understanding. However, now both Azerbaijan and Italy are discussing plans to prioritize renewed approaches based on mutual interests to take these relations to higher levels.
Meetings with Aliyev based on mutual interests
Its parameters were clearly evident during Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Italy. The position of the head of state on the process of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the issues of delimitation and demarcation at his meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella was the official announcement that Rome will establish close cooperation with Baku in the region. In other words, Italy has taken a place with Azerbaijan and provides great support to the ideas, initiatives and incentives of official Baku in regional cooperation projects in the South Caucasus. Roman’s election to such a position can effectively neutralize the activation of Western-centered forces against Azerbaijan in the region.
Ilham Aliyev during a working lunch with his Italian colleague:
– He stressed that the European Union is one of Azerbaijan’s main trading partners.
– He said that there are good relations between the European Union and Azerbaijan.
– However, he regretted that some European countries were hindering the development of these relations.
– He stressed the importance of the remaining territorial claims against Azerbaijan in the Constitution of Armenia and the importance of their elimination for peace.
President Sergio Mattarella also stated that he always supports the expansion and development of relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union in support of Ilham Aliyev’s words. At the same time, his mention of Italy’s support for the peace agenda in the region is a blow to the forces obstructing the process.
Italy vs France with Azerbaijan
It seems clear that Italy does not support France’s agenda in the South Caucasus region. While Paris promotes the ideals of looking at everything in the region through the lens of France and creates a risk to peace and security by inciting Armenia to war against Azerbaijan, the giant Italy in the European Union is in a different position. This provides additional support for Azerbaijan’s role in Europe’s energy security.
France is certainly eager to take these roles from Azerbaijan, but its hidden agenda is also problematic for Italy. Italy, contrary to France, will not spare Baku its support in maintaining Azerbaijan’s status as an energy supplier on European markets. This issue has greater geoeconomic and geopolitical importance for the future, in the sense that Azerbaijan will replenish its strategic assets by exporting green energy also to Europe.
The prestigious global event COP29, which will be held in Baku in November, will also allow to draw up a vision of Azerbaijan’s export potential in the green world. Italy will also be represented at that event, which will add further elements to the joint Azerbaijan-Italy regional dynamics in the COP29 outcomes.
