Yet, such desires are problematic, due to Azerbaijan’s persisting instability.
Since 1992, Azeris have seen their government change three times. The last
change came in June 1993, when Heidar Aliyev, a former KGB general and
Brezhnev Politburo member, co-opted the Azeri parliament and took over
the government.
Aliyev, now 75, continues to rule. He controls everything in Azerbaijan,
including free speech. His security forces make arrests daily and are holding
hundreds of “politicals” in prison. According to one source, Aliyev tolerates
no criticism and maintains strict control over the media. It is Aliyev,
more than anyone else, who holds the key to the oil. Taking the first steps
to develop his country’s rich oil reserves, he has tried to improve Azeri-American
relations over the last few years. However, an important piece of American
legislation has stood in his way. Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act, passed by the United States
Congress in 1992, allows only humanitarian relief and assistance to non-governmental
groups in Azerbaijan. The Azeris consider Section 907 grossly unfair.
Despite this legislation, however, Aliyev remains pro-American, mainly
because he counts on the United States to protect him from pressures from
Russia to the north and from Iran to the south.
Recently, Azerbaijan has been trying to parlay its oil and gas reserves
into political clout abroad, in order to force the Armenians into accepting
an agreement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
It has taken great care to ensure that multiple foreign powers and companies
gain a stake in the oil boom in the hopes of gaining political advantage.
If this strategy fails, Aliyev says that he will revamp his army and renew
the war with Armenia.
Azerbaijan has endured sharp declines in living standards since the collapse
of the Soviet Union. Two-thirds of Azeris live in poverty. Further, the
disparity of wealth is evident everywhere. In contrast with Baku, which
is filled with fast cars and people in expensive clothes, much of Azerbaijan
is filled with only empty factories and concrete towns with no gas or heating.
Azeri doctors and teachers make $20 per month.
Furthermore, there are over one million refugees living in the Azeri countryside. When asked how he feels about the press reports that describe Baku as a boomtown, Dr. Kevin Kelly, an American pediatrician with Relief International who works with the Azeri refugees, said, "I agree, except that if they go 20 minutes outside of Baku, they will see hundreds and hundreds of public buildings that you and I would not put our dog in where these people [the refugees] have no other choice but to live in. When you think Baku is Azerbaijan, you are wearing blinders. It is not."