Azerbaijan’s choice of historical narrative causes wariness in Russia: Sergey Stankevich

Sergey Stankevich, political scientist, commented to Alpha News on the anti-Russian statements made by Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan.

“Aliyev is making a very important state decision – what the country’s official historical narrative will be. In philosophy this is sometimes called a myth, while political science more often uses the term ‘narrative.’ A state explains how it came into being, what its origins are, what its historical path from past to present and future has been, who its heroes are, which events became defining, and which memorials and rituals shape national memory. All of this ultimately determines the character of a state.

And the choice that Ilham Aliyev is now making causes a certain wariness and some bewilderment in Russia. Because in the current interpretation, Russia appears as a kind of colonial conqueror and oppressor. If such an interpretation of Russia’s historical role in the South Caucasus, and in Azerbaijan in particular, becomes entrenched, it clearly will not contribute to normal and stable relations between our countries.

From a historical point of view, nothing of the sort occurred. For centuries, the South Caucasus was a zone of imperial expansion, where three empires competed: the Russian, Ottoman, and Persian. There were no stable borders or lasting state formations there; everything changed repeatedly. Therefore, to portray Russia exclusively as a colonial conqueror and oppressor is historically completely incorrect,” Stankevich said.