The Approach to the EU : Azerbaijani Society and Political Opposition (original) (raw)

74 Shirinov , Azerbaijan I makes sense to divide Azerbaijani policy towards the eu into two major periods. The first encompasses Azerbaijan’s early independence when the ruling elite – which has changed only once throughout the period since independence in 1993 – was extremely vulnerable because of the immaturity of the economy and constant threats from larger neighbors. This first period lasted ten years after the coup d’état that brought former kgb boss Haydar Aliyev to power. During this time Azerbaijan strove towards rapprochement with Euro-Atlantic institutions, which can be explained partly by the vision of Haydar Aliyev, and partly by the economic insecurity of the young Azerbaijani state. The Azerbaijan authorities were very sensitive to changing moods in Brussels and Strasbourg, and listened attentively to eu reactions and statements. When Haydar Aliyev’s son Ilham became president in 2003, however, relations between Azerbaijan and the eu took a different turn. The Azerbaij...

Sign up for access to the world's latest research.

checkGet notified about relevant papers

checkSave papers to use in your research

checkJoin the discussion with peers

checkTrack your impact