Serious convergence of Russia and Azerbaijan will naturally upset Georgia, Georgian political analyst Gia Nodia told NEWS.am.

The expert stressed that Tbilisi does not consider Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation challenging. According to him, Azerbaijan attempts to maintain a well-balanced policy not to cause Russian discontent on Baku’s possible involvement in Nabucco. “However, Georgia does not consider Azerbaijan becoming pro-Russian,” declared Nodia.

He believes Baku-Moscow agreement on Azerbaijani gas supplies for Russian Gazprom is merely symbolic. In doing so, Baku tried to avoid accusations of anti-Russian moods, i.e. provided its alibi. “However, it does not mean that Azerbaijani and Russian strategic interests are matching,” Nodia asserted.

In support of the said, he pointed out the fact that despite the seeming convergence between Azerbaijan and Russia, Baku administration called Azeris “to observe Georgian law and refrain from visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

“Official Tbilisi did not give much consideration to this fact, as expected this developments; all the more, Azerbaijan has a similar problem. Whereas Belarus’ startler that Minsk is considered Russian ally,” said the expert adding that concurrent statement from Armenia would please Georgia, but “this is not the paramount issue in Armenian-Georgian relations”.

Nodia admitted that opening of Armenian-Turkish border, will deprive Georgia of its monopolist-transit status, but it will not be a significant economic blow for his country.

From political viewpoint, he welcomes Armenian-Turkish rapprochement that will put an end to one of the conflicts in the region. “Armenia will become less dependant on Georgia, and meanwhile more independent from Russia,” the expert emphasized.