In developed countries the so-called Think Tanks (TT) play important role in making decisions on state and social levels. National security is more than ever conditioned by the ability to arrange and to use intellectual resources in accordance with the national interests and think tanks take special place in that process2. Modern states cannot meet internal and external challenges without developed, independent expert community. If in the West these are long ago established institutions, in post-Soviet countries think tanks or centers which undertake similar functions are just being formed and try to be involved in decision making. Azerbaijan is not an exception either. The analytical centers which exist in the country mostly tend to approach the standards of the western centers, thus using their experience, but, nevertheless, they have some peculiarities which will be considered further. General characteristics According to “The Global “Go-To Think Tanks” report presented by the University of Pennsylvania on January 18, 2011, today there are 6480 think tanks in the world3. The report was prepared based on the survey held among several thousand scholars and experts who evaluated the activity of those institutions. There were 12 Azerbaijani centers on the list (to compare in Armenia and Georgia there are 14 centers): list was headed by the “Center for Social and Economic Development”, which took 14th position among 25 top think tanks in Eastern Europe. According to the data for 2010 the Azerbaijani think tanks list were topped by “Free Minds Association”. Let us see in what measure those 12 centers meet the criteria of the think tanks. From the organizational point of view the analytical centers in Azerbaijan are: 1.Academic research and educational institutions; 2.Centers formed under the state structures; 3.NGOs. The presence of the last group is conditioned by the fact that the Azerbaijani think tanks are mainly registered as non-governmental organizations, in order to avoid some issues connected with the taxes and due to the absence of appropriate legal status. Considerable part of 2467 NGOs registered in the country exist only on paper, But among those NGOs there are the ones which undertake eager activity including research and propaganda, Very often their activities are similar to the functions of the think tanks. This is proved by the presence of the representatives of a number of NGOs at the “Brain Storm in the 21st century. Issues and Challenges” round table arranged by the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan in 20104. Due to the aforementioned reasons it is sometimes difficult to specify whether one or another organization is a think tank or it is not. So, the leading research organizations submitted the legislative changes which would allow forming separate think tank field. Despite the form of organization the main trends of their activities are: 1.Economic studies 2.International relations 3.Propaganda (pro-governmental and anti-Armenian) 4.Intra-social issues 5.Issues devoted to the Turkic world. Let us considered what kind of activity is carried out by each type of the structures. Thus, among the academic research institutions the Khazar (Caspian) University (1991) and the Diplomatic Academy of Azerbaijan (2006) with their research centers can be singled out. They prepare top-class specialists who meet western standards and who even during their study are involved in the researches. The research structures working under the universities is rather wide-spread practice in developed countries and it allows with the help of the students involving new expert personnel in the works of the analytical centers. Among the centers formed under the auspices of the state structures the Center for the Strategic Studies under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Institute for Scientific Studies and Economic Reforms under the Ministry of Economic Reforms can be mentioned. The “research product” of those institutions is mainly used in restricted circles. The most well-known center established on the state initiative is the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SAM) which claims to be a think tank. It serves the interest of the authorities and receives considerable financial aid from the state. The Center expands its activity on different spheres, including participation in anti-Armenian propaganda. The head of the center and its experts take any opportunity to present the stance of Azerbaijan on the Karabakh conflict and events in Khojalu at any event arranged in the country or abroad as well as to spread anti-Armenian propaganda. On June 2011 the Center for Strategic Studies propounded to establish the National Expert Council which will systematize the work of the Azerbaijani think tanks. The purpose of the initiative is to create general analytical “product” in Azerbaijan, in the creation of which all academic and research analytical centers will be involved5. In February 2011 Gulshan Pashaeva who had been the deputy of the former director Elhan Nuriyev was appointed an alternate director of the center. On January 21, 2011 Nuriev was dismissed from office on the order of the Ilham Aliyev. Among the non-governmental organizations the well-known is the Center for Sociological Services “Pulse R”, which with the assistance of Friedrich Ebert Fund carries out surveys on social and economic situation in Azerbaijan, its living standards, the income of the population, trust to the authorities, activity of the public institutions, the attitude of the population to the events in Azerbaijan and in the world. Taking into consideration the fact that the surveys are edited also by Rasim Musabekov who was the elected as the deputy in Milli Majlis in 2010 and knowing about the restrictions of the freedom of speech in Azerbiajan the results of those surveys must not be taken for granted. However, they present some kind of information about the Azerbaijani society. There are purely economic centers in Azerbaijan either, and they are comparatively independent, rather professional and cooperate with western and developed Asian countries. Among them is the Center for Social and Economic Development (established on June 1, 2005)6, which has been recognized the leading economic think tank in Azerbaijan and occupied 14th position in the top 25 think tanks in Eastern Europe, The center mainly undertakes researches concerning economic, social, energy spheres and provides consultations. The leading think tank for 2010 “Free Minds Association” is considered to be the first liberal think tank (established in 2005) which aim is to spread free thought, justice, human rights, tolerance. It closely cooperates with the liberal organizations from the CIS, Europe and US. In 2007 the founder and the president of the center Tural Veliyev won Stockholm network Golden Umbrella award in the Best Think Tank in New Market Economies nomination7. The Center for Economic Research (established on June 1, 2005) implements the analysis of the social and economic developments in the country, provides economic consultancy, carries out preparation of the programmes of economic reforms and periodically submits the accountings of consumer prices. Internal cooperation While studying Azerbaijani research organizations it turned out that there is almost no cooperation between them. Such a situation was characterized in the report made during the round table arranged by the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan: “According to the international data, there are 13 (in 2009) think tanks. I would like to ask those present who knows about other 12”8. During the aforementioned discussion the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan put forward an initiative of cooperation, which was supported by other research organizations. In particular, besides the formation of the expert council of think tanks, a mechanism of announcing competitions (e.g. “The Best Think Tank of the Year”, “The Idea of the Year” and etc), making ratings, providing dialogue with the state bodies and, finally, creation of the “analytical market” were proposed. External cooperation Azerbaijani think tanks cooperate with different international organizations, banks, foundations9, as well as foreign centers. The most active in the field of setting relations with the partners from abroad is the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan. In short terms it set ties with think tanks from Turkey, US, Great Britain, Israel, Germany, China, Russia10, Georgia, Poland, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Norway and other countries. This cooperation is manifested in joint academic and analytical projects – conferences, round tables, bilateral visits of the heads and the experts of the think tanks, exchange of the experience. Especially active is the cooperation with think tanks from Turkey. The Azerbaijani centers have relations with The Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM), The International Strategic Research Organization (USAK), USAD, SETA Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research (SETA). Before 2008 the relations with the Eurasian Strategic Research Center (ASAM) had been active11. On March 7, 2011 a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Center for Strategic Studies under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey and the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan. It can be supposed that this fact provides possibility for additional ties and influence for the Turkish diplomatic corps in order to impact Azerbaijani analytical center. In its turn the Center for the Strategic Studies of the Diaspora and Lobby came forward with an initiative to coordinate the activity of think tanks in Turkic countries. It should also be mentioned that this center has also created database of the intellectual resources of the Azerbaijanis from all over the world. At the same time a part of the think tanks in Azerbaijan, just like the similar Turkish organizations, pay much attention to the issues of the Turkic world. Some of them have appropriate sections on their web-sites. Some Azerbaijani centers are involved in “The Analytical Centers for Turkic Dialogue” project which was initiated in April 200812. Besides, the Azerbaijani think tanks participate in the forums of the Organization of the Islamic Conference; they are involved in PASOS independent think tank network, European “Stockholm” network, Atlas Network, Global Developed Network. Azerbaijani think tanks tend to expand the scope of their cooperation, thus being present at the conferences or arranging conferences. Very often the main goal of their participation is to sound the Azerbaijani stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Research Centers or Think Tanks? Though the first Azerbaijani research centers were established in 1994-9513, they can hardly be called think tanks in the classical sense of this word. Azerbaijani think tanks still have serious obstacles on their way of turning into classical think tanks14. Can think tanks in Azerbaijan have serious impact on decision making, which is one of the primary functions of think tanks? We believe at given stage it is impossible, taking into consideration the authoritarian regime. The activity of the think tanks in Azerbaijan is directed by authorities and here direct and one-way connection between government and think tank is active. According to the expert in economics Zohrap Islamaili, on practice Milli Majlis fully depends on the executive authority, and even if Azerbaijani think tanks manage to influence decision making process on 30-40%, nevertheless, the decisions initiated by the executive authority will pass15. Another issue is financing. With some exceptions Azerbaijani centers have restricted material resources. It is remarkable that the Azerbaijani expert circles came out with a proposal to establish “State Support Fund for Think Tanks” just like other similar organizations. Among such organizations are “State Support Fund for Mass Media Development under the president of Azerbaijan”, which allots rather big sums to the mass media in order to implement their projects, but it is clear that in this way they lose their independence. Under such circumstances you can understand in what “The State Fund for Think Tanks Support” will turn. Generally, the foreign governments and funds promote the creation of research centers in Azerbaijan. This support is mostly in the format of the programmes directed to the formation of the civil society. This mechanism allows think tanks to act freely to some extent, but at the same time it does not provide full freedom. Meanwhile, freedom is a precondition for the efficient activity, which in our opinion, is impossible in modern Azerbaijan. The activity of the Azerbaijani think tanks is controlled by the ruling regime. Thus being financed by the government or other organization the centers are obliged to follow their demands. Naturally, the authorities, which merged with the state, do not finance the centers which have alternative ideas and which do not present their interests. Under such conditions it is almost impossible to speak about independent, objective and efficient think tanks. “Peace and Democracy Institute”, which director Leila Yunusova was one of the initiators of establishing think tanks in Azerbaijan, firstly spread rather eager activity, but over the recent period it became passive due to the scanty funding. The absence of funding is conditioned by the anti-governmental statements made by Yunusova periodically16. It is known that a case was initiated against Yunusova. Prospects So what are the prospects of the Azerbaijani research centers? Considerable activity can be observed over the recent period: a number of steps are taken in order to create think tanks which meet the modern standards. Among them sending 8 representatives from Azerbaijan to the US within the framework of USAID programme in 2009, in order to study American experience and activity can be mentioned. A long-term cooperation with the centers from different countries promotes the development of Azerbaijani think tanks. It is remarkable that in 2011 new “E-Think-tank” project was started in 2011. It is implemented by the “Alumni Network” (Azerbaijan) and Marshall Foundation (Germany). The goal of the project is to study the ways of solution of the problems of the Azerbaijani society and creation of think tanks. And in this project Adnan Hajizade is involved; he was one of the two bloggers arrested in 2009 for the political dissent. On the other hand the administration of the president of Azerbaijan is interested in unification of think tanks. We have already mentioned “Brain Storm in the 21st century. Issues and Challenges” round table held by the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan. Its purpose was to provide real picture of think tanks, to assess available intellectual resources, real activity of the organizations, which consider themselves think tanks, mechanisms of cooperation, expert environment and other issues. The heads of a number of analytical and research organizations of Azerbaijan participated in the round table and discussion17. Thus, the further development of Azerbaijani think tanks, in our opinion, can proceed in the following way. According to the first option, they, eventually, will be able to turn into free centers with diverse sources of funding and will attach new quality to the intellectual and state management of Azerbaijan. According to the second option, they will become mainly free analytical centers which are financed by the state. And in accordance with the third variant Azerbaijani authorities will establish even more control over intellectual, analytical community, they will become the main if not only “consumer” of “intellectual product” and thematic orientation by funding only pro-governmental centers and restricting the activity of the adherents of independent or alternative views. Two first options are hardly probable under the current Azerbaijani regime; the most probable is the third option. 1Experts at the Center of Information Studies, “Noravank” Foundation 2Գագիկ Հարությունյան, «Ուղեղային կենտրոնները» և ազգային անվտանգությունը, «21-րդ ԴԱՐ», # 1 (35), 2011։ 3The ratings were carried out within the framework of “Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program”. For the first time they were presented in 2009 and now they have become annual. See http://www.gotothinktank.com/wp-content/uploads/2010GlobalGoToReport-ThinkTankIndex-UNEDITION-v13.pdf. 4Among the participants were “Doctrina” Journalist Center for Strategic Studies, “Mil Az” information agency, the Caucasian Center for Strategic Studies, “3rd View” analytical and information agency, “Organization of Liberation of Karabakh”, “Areat” Center for the Study of Modern Sociological Processes, “Inam” (Faith) Pluralism Center, “Free Minds Association”, “Azerbaijan-Atlantica Partnership Association, the Center for the Strategic Studies of the Diaspora and Lobby, Public Union of Social and Economic Studies, Center for Synergetic Studies and etc. http://sam.gov.az/sites/default/files/publications/analitik_baxis2.pdf 5 http://www.1news.az/politics/20100608114946294.html 6See Դիանա Գալստյան, Արաքս Փաշայան, «Ադրբեջանի որոշ հետազոտական կենտրոնների գործունեությունը», «Գլոբուս Ազգային անվտանգություն» 5 (9), 2009թ.։ 7 See details about the center on http://www.azadliqciragi.org 8See http://sam.gov.az/sites/default/files/publications/analitik_baxis2.pdf 9Among the partner organizations are World Bank, Asian Development Bank, WTO, Public Association of Open Society Protection, the US International Development Agency, Open Society Institute, “Eurasia” foundation, Marshal Foundation, George Soros Foundation and others. 10On March 14, 2011 the cooperation memorandum was signed between the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies (РИСИ) and the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan 11This well-known Turkish strategic center was closed in 2008 because of losing financial assistance See Սիմավորյան Արեստակես, Թուրքական վերլուծական կենտրոններ. տեսություն և արդիականություն, «Գլոբուս Ազգային անվտանգություն», 3 (7), 2009թ., http://noravank.am/upload/pdf/3_globus_National.pdf: 12On April 7-12, 2008 the representatives of the analytical centers from 24 countries gathered in Turkey to discuss international and regional issues, to set cooperation and create communication network for the analytical centers. 13See Դիանա Գալստյան, Արաքս Փաշայան, «Ադրբեջանի որոշ հետազոտական կենտրոնների գործունեությունը», «Գլոբուս Ազգային անվտանգություն», 5 (9), 2009թ.։ 14See Գագիկ Հարությունյան, «Ուղեղային կենտրոնները» և ազգային անվտանգությունը, «21-րդ ԴԱՐ», # 1 (35), 2011: 15 http://www.zerkalo.az/2009-08-22/politics/2062-thinktank-azerbaijan-center 16See http://www.regnum.ru/news/1205850.html, http://www.radioazadlyg.org/content/article/2301396.html 17See http://sam.gov.az/sites/default/files/publications/analitik_baxis2.pdf. “Globus National Security”, issue 3, 2011 Norawank

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