Businessmen like Alekperov in Russia successfully engaged in politics. However, it is senseless for “Lukoil” petroleum company president with his Azerbaijan origin to climb up to power’s top in Russia. It is easier to be engaged in politics on his historical homeland, with which Alekperov never broke his liaisons. The larger part of his life Alekperov spends in Azerbaijan. There he has got his education and began his successful carrier. He left his native town at 29.
The head of “Lukoil” Petroleum Company, former inhabitant of Baku enjoys the Kremlin support though he fully depends on Kremlin. According to Baku media sources Russia president Vladimir Putin more than once has tried to convince Geydar Aliev to make Alekperov his successor or at least to make him the Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister. There is the very popular point of view in Baku that the aged State leader after resigning his president commissions to his son, will try to soften the people indignation by promising to solve social problems with help of potential and links of Russian businessmen. Nominating Alekperov the second man in Azerbaijan permitted father to make Alekperov the “custodian angel” of his son. At the same time eldest Aliev hopes that in this case he will enlist the real support of Moscow in the Karabagh problem solving as well.
A comparison inevitably rises in the mind about Armen Sarkissian who in due course in Armenia was assigned approximately a part like that. Nominated the former ambassador in UK as the Prime-Minister Levon Ter-Petrossian has tried not only to solve the problem of rulers’ unpopularity, but at the same time put at the clan’s service Sarkissian’s numerous acquaintances in European capitals and the Diaspora’s authorities respectfulness to Sarkissian’s person. With the certain reserves we can here compare the invitation of Robert Kocharian in Yerevan as well, who too was obliged to soften the sharpness of power’s legitimacy problem.
It is not hard to guess, that Aliev’s idea will not delight the West, which has enough means to prevent nominating of pro-Russia public figure as the Azerbaijan Prime Minister. Therefore it is possible that president can not take advantage of that constitutional amendment. However, submitting of this amendment will permit Baku authorities to count on Moscow sympathies, because of this amendment will offer to Moscow as an advance for future benevolence.
