MOSCOW USING KARABAKH CONFLICT TO GAIN BASES IN AZERBAIJAN.

According to the Moscow correspondent of the Turkish daily Milliyet, the Russian government offered to support Azerbaijan’s efforts to regain Karabakh if Baku grants Russia military basing rights. The article characterizes Russia’s attitude on this matter as a bargain: "bases in exchange for Karabakh." Azeri parliament speaker Rasul Guliev has confirmed that "bargaining is going on." According to him, Baku has told Moscow that "we will speak about bases when progress is attained on the problem of Karabakh," he said. (13) Guliev specifically stated in another context that Moscow seeks to regain control of a major Soviet-era early warning radar complex in Azerbaijan as part of a trade-off involving the terms of Karabakh settlement. (14) Russia is one of the mediators in the deadlocked negotiations on the future of Karabakh.

Moscow and Tehran Consort on Caspian Dispute.