Russian president to visit Azerbaijan

Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a two-day visit to the oil-rich Caspian Sea nation of Azerbaijan on Tuesday in what is seen as an effort to forge closer ties with the Western-allied country.

Photo: Russian president to visit Azerbaijan

Russian president to visit Azerbaijan

It will mark Putin's second visit to Azerbaijan since he became president in 2000. The former Soviet republic is the starting-point for a newly-completed U.S-backed pipeline that transports Caspian oil to Western markets bypassing Russia and it sent troops to serve in the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

Analysts in Baku were skeptical that the Russian president would manage to achieve a breakthrough in bilateral ties.

Azerbaijan is keen to avoid any economic reliance on Russia and last month responded cautiously to a proposal from Russia's visiting defense minister for all five Caspian Sea nations to form a joint naval force.

Russian-U.S. rivalry has long existed in the oil-rich Caspian region. Washington sees the region as key to its future goal of reducing dependence on Middle East oil. Russia, meanwhile, is determined not to be sidelined; oil transit is not only a lucrative market but can provide good political leverage, reports the AP.

I.L.