Center for National and International Studies
The Center for National and International Studies in Azerbaijan is a research organisation founded by Leila Alieva and Aydin Balayev.
The Center for National and International Studies (CNIS) is according to its website "an independent non-profit research institution based in Baku, Azerbaijan". Their goal is to "conduct non-partisan research, covering a wide variety of issues such as regional conflicts and security; oil and politics; state and democracy building; foreign and domestic policies".
The organisation says it supports Azerbaijan's 'integration into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures... Our vision is an independent democratic Azerbaijan, which is a member of EU.'[1]
Neoconservative Connections
The Center's aim to integrate Azerbaijan into 'European and Euro-Atlantic structures' puts it in alignment with key EU and US foreign policy goals. Co-founder Leila Alieva attended the Democracy and Security International Conference in 2007 an event chracterised by Jim Lobe as a gathering of the 'Neocon International'.[2]
Program Chairs
- Leila Alieva (security studies and integration processes)
- Aydin Balayev (politics, sociology, conflict studies)
- Idris Aliyev (history and archeology)
- Orxan Mamedzade (oil history)
- Fikret Jafarov (environmental issues) [3]
Notes
- ↑ CNIS, About Us, Accessed 25-February-2009
- ↑ Jim Lobe, A Neo-Conservative International Targets Iran, Lobelog.com, 9 June 2007
- ↑ CNIS Staff, Cnis Staff, Accessed 25-February-2009
