Although, Azerbaijan lies geographically in the volatile Caucusas region, it has attracted great western interest due to it’s vast energy reserves. Can it remain stable now that it’s fomer strongman leader has died?
Aliyev’s life after death?](BBC NEWS | Europe | Analysis: Aliyev's life after death?)
hmmm good question
Interesting... I'm sure the Azerbaijanian opposition will take heart from what occured in Georgia following rigged elections there.
We can't tell if the Azerbaijanian people are as dissatisfied with the status quo as the Georgians were... only time will tell.
I was in Istanbul, Turkey some 5 months ago when Heider Aliyev was staying in a military hospital, and there were many rumours then that he was dead. All the Turkish newspapers were closely covering the events in Azerbaidjan and what would happen when his son and heir took over. Turkey and Azerbaidjan speak almost exactly the same langauge, and have exceptionally close ties (almost as close as Turkey has with Northern Cyprus) - there have even been strong suggestions that one day Azerbaidjan may unify with Turkey.
Strategically Turkey is Azerbaidjan's outlet to the rest of the world, and there is a huge pipeline bing planned from Baku to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey. Hence Turkey will enure that Azerbaidjan remains stable and peaceful.