Sometimes countries like Turkmenistan that choose neutrality face pressure for their choices, Javid Valiyev, a member of the Board of Directors of the Center of the Analysis of International Relations (AIR CENTER), said at a panel session organized by the AIR Centeron "Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality status as an effective tool for strengthening peace, regional and global security and stability," Report informs.
Valiyev noted that each of the states that gained independence following the collapse of the USSR tried to define its own foreign concept.
"In this sense, Turkmenistan has also defined its foreign policy as neutrality. However, sometimes countries like Turkmenistan that choose neutrality face pressures for this choice. In general, three factors influence the choice of neutrality status by states: institutional, internal and external factors," Valiyev said.
He emphasized that there are some similarities in the foreign policies of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in this sense:
"Although Azerbaijan has not adopted a bill on neutrality, its foreign policy does not take sides in conflicts, does not allow another country to have a military base on its territory, and does not join military blocs. In this sense, there is a similarity with Turkmenistan."
Political scientist Farhad Mammadov, head of the Center for Studies of the South Caucasus, said that the mechanism of neutrality or staying away from the blocs chosen by Azerbaijan creates a certain degree of immunity:
"Staying out of blocs, neutrality, has its own price. Since it also means staying away from alliances that would contribute to the development of economic relations to a certain extent. Therefore, countries that choose this path can expand cooperation among themselves."