ABSTRACT
By the mid-1990s, the strategic trilateral relationship of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Israel deepened in response to the crystallization of the Armenia-RussiaIran-Syria axis. These alignments came into being as the result of a complex dynamic shaped by transnational and subnational agents/institutions and their interactions. They were also shaped by the regional realities. The forging of strategic ties by Turkey and Israel with Azerbaijan reflected the convergence of interests of both countries in the emerging Caspian region.1 In general, regions themselves defy clear-cut definitions and some experts introduce instead the concept of the “security complex.”2 The impact of a new EastWest energy corridor on energy security, the Western orientation of Israel and Turkey as their strategic choice and transnationalism were dealt with in other chapters. This chapter will explore the range of security threats and the regional realities that brought this axis into existence. In order to adequately reflect this complexity in the post-Cold War period, the concept of security is extended beyond military security and intelligence or “hard security” to include “soft security” such as diplomatic support, lobbying influential governments and public diplomacy.
