Empire of the Ring

Youngho let the Azerbaijani government know the investigation results handed over by doctor Park Young-sun’s team, which was soon announced to the public.

The unexpected news made the Baku citizens excited since they were depressed by the foreign exchange crisis.

Oil was not first discovered in Azerbaijan, nor was it depleted, but the citizens were especially excited as it was related to the Kazakh royal family which decided to share profits with Azerbaijan when it did not have to.

Many also believed that the Azerbaijani government would not have tried to explore the offshore field if it were not for the Kazakh royal family.

As public opinion increasingly leaned toward the Kazakh royal family, President Aliyev’s woes were deepening.

He had a sense of crisis that he would not be able to maintain his administration if he made a mistake.

To overcome this crisis, the leaders and cabinet members of the ruling party were gathering at the presidential palace in Baku.

“Your Excellency, the opinion polls show that the people want the country to center around the Kazakh royal family. Fortunately, they’re not so negative about your long-term rule, but I think our government has to accept its failure to cope with the financial crisis.”

Aliyev moaned at the prime minister’s report. It was because he had brought this situation to himself. It was him who urged the media to reveal the discovery of a new oil field. He thought the public opinion would praise his decision for attracting the Kazakh royal family, but it turned to a different direction.

“It’s hard to tell how public opinion will change if we don’t accept the Kazakh royal family.”

“Becoming a federal state of the Kingdom of Kazakhstan means to give up sovereignty on our own.”

“It won’t be a problem with maintaining the same shape as the Commonwealth countries. The Queen of Kazakhstan will be appointed as a symbolic head of state, and there won’t be any obstacle to exercising sovereignty.”

The way to calm public opinion like wildfire was to join the federation, but a Commonwealth-like form would not be too much of a burden.

Aliyev was relieved a little to hear it.

“Will the Kazakhstan royal family accept it? There’s no benefit for Kazakhstan.”

“The royal family values honor and loves Baku. It will be difficult to deny the approval of the people of Baku, and our government should also be proactive in persuading the Kazakh royal family. With the royal family on our back, Azerbaijan will prosper again under your regime for a long time.”

To live up to public opinion, he had no choice but to accept the Kazakh royal family.

The people’s demand was not to democratize or ask him to step down from power but to strengthen national competitiveness by welcoming the Kazakh royal family.

“Well, then it’s our priority to let the Kazakh royal family know what we want. Let’s respond according to the reaction of the Kazakh royal family.”

“Sure, Your Excellency, but before we reach out to the Kazakh royal family, it will be great to hear the people’s opinion first at a public hearing.”

***

“Mr. Prime Minister. I think we should ask for the people’s opinion. What do you think?”

The Azerbaijani government had proposed the royal family to be the head of the state, so Youngho was discussing it with Prime Minister Kasim.

When Baku’s public opinion was generally taken care of, President Aliyev sent a special envoy to the royal palace to politely ask for its intention.

If the Kazakh royal family accepted the demand of Baku citizens, there would be a referendum to amend the constitution.

“It’s not an agreement between governments, so why do we have to hold a referendum? It’s a business between the royal family and the government of Azerbaijan, and if the royal family decides, the Kazakh people will follow suit.”

It was not that Kazakhstan was subjugating Azerbaijan, it was just the Queen of Kazakhstan would be crowned in Azerbaijan as the head of state.

However, the public’s opinion could not be ignored at all.

It was because the royal family was first recognized in Kazakhstan.

“Prime Minister, but I still want to hold a public hearing like Azerbaijan did. If the royal family alone decides on such a serious matter, it is tantamount to ignoring the people. I don’t want to make decisions against the will of the people.”

“If your will is so, I will try to hold a public hearing, but there’s no reason for people to refuse it when the royal influence is getting bigger. It’s like a windfall to be able to incorporate Azerbaijan as a federal state.”

If Azerbaijan became a federal state of the Kazakh Kingdom, Kazakhstan would not only become a major power in the Caspian Sea but also permanently secure a bridgehead to southern Europe without passing through the Volga-Don Canal.

In addition, it would be able to raise its voice in the Caucasus region following Central Asia, so it was indeed a windfall.

“Even if the people oppose it, the royal family should push hard. It’s to secure a bridgehead in Azerbaijan.”

“Would the people of Azerbaijan like it if our people were against it? We can get a bigger windfall later if we can get both peoples’ approval.”

“…”

Kasim was curious about the bigger windfall that Youngho just mentioned.

If Azerbaijan were to become a federal country, Youngho did not intend to make the royal family stay merely symbolic.

This was because he had confirmed that there were great treasures buried in the waters off Baku.

Although Dr. Park Young-sun’s team was still conducting a thorough investigation, Park Young-sun said he was certain that there would be more oil buried than any other oil fields found in the Caspian Sea.

If that was true, both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan would be rich when the oil field’s commercial production began.

Considering this and that, it would be a waste if the royal family was to just sit there as a symbolic being.

When Kasim heard the explanation so far, he had to nod his head.

“We were lucky. I think the Queen’s visit has completely turned the public’s attention.”

“It’s not necessarily luck, Your Highness. It should be said that it started from the time Your Highness and Her Majesty lived in Baku. Azerbaijanis are making an excellent choice to demand for the royal family. Likewise, the people of Kazakhstan welcomed the royal family, which was the best choice since the nation was formed.”

***

The acceptance of Azerbaijan as a federal country was also fully supported by the people of Kazakhstan.

It was an opportunity to expand the nation’s scope to the Caucasus following Central Asia, so it would be strange to oppose it.

When the Kazakh royal family accepted the federal membership, Azerbaijan hurriedly decided to hold a referendum to amend its constitution.

“So, Did you find out more about the Azerbaijani government?”

“We are still gathering information, but we think the government decided that if it puts our royal family at the forefront, it can continue to stay in power.”

Park Jong-il was checking the Azerbaijani government’s move in real-time from intelligence agents.

After analyzing the information, the intelligence service of Kazakhstan was able to figure out what the Aliyev government was aiming for.

It was hurrying the referendum with the intention to maintain the government after making the royal family as its puppet.

“Let’s play with their tune first. I don’t know how long that’ll last though.”

“All you have to do is wait a little. We’re looking into the source of Aliyev’s slush fund, so it’ll be revealed soon.”

The British daily Guardian reported that Aliyev’s slush funds managed through a British-registered corporation were 2.5 billion euros.

The president’s two daughters were also listed on “Panama Papers,” a list of tax haven property holders.

Aliyev had countered that the slush fund report was false information and an attempt to smear Azerbaijan, and that the Armenian government was behind it.

“That’s only what’s revealed so far. Our investigation has found that he is hiding more than seven billion euros. I wonder what it would be like to expose this to the media.”

“The press should never know. I’ll use it as a bargaining chip later.”

Most of the slush funds were illegally raised.

It should belong to the people, and Youngho could not allow Aliyev to flee with all of it.

“You’re not going to let him get away, are you?”

“I should if I need to. He can take some, but not the whole.”

“There are a lot of Aliyev’s supporters in the military, so there could be a huge opposition.”

“That’s why I’d rather induce asylum. If his supporters resist, it could lead to bloodshed.”

The corruption of the establishment in Azerbaijan was as severe as the one used to be in Kazakhstan.

The creation of illegal funds by the president’s family had already been known through foreign media, but it was only the tip of the iceberg.

The Kazakh Intelligence Service found that part of the oil sales fund had been funneled to the president’s family.

When Aliyev’s father was president, Aliyev managed a state-run oil company, and it turned out that he was still turning a blind eye to some corruption to induce loyalty from his aides.

Nevertheless, the people of Azerbaijan were overwhelmingly supportive of President Aliyev, thinking that a stable government would be better than a powerless regime to confuse the nation.

This was because people had seen many countries independent from the Soviet Union fall into chaos and their national competitiveness plummet badly due to political strife.

As a result, presidents wielding long-term dictatorships were supported.

The power of the Aliyev family was behind the two generations of long-term rule, but the absence of rivals in the opposition camp was also playing a part.

“We can’t deal with him with just speculations, so get the perfect evidence.”

“There’s enough evidence. We could siphon off the slush funds if we wanted to.”

“How? Don’t tell me we have to go steal it ourselves.”

“Oh, we are past that phase. I think it would be possible if we secretly asked the British government for cooperation…”

Jong-il apparently intended to take back the slush funds by freezing them.

“Don’t do anything until the country officially becomes a federal state. If we make a fuss now, he will erase all the evidence.”

“You’re ignoring our intelligence service’s ability too much.”

“Come on. Why would you touch the bushes and scare the snake? We just need to keep the evidence one by one.”

The idea was to slowly take control of the power institutions.

First of all, it was first to meet with Sevan, the commissioner-general of Azerbaijan’s National Police Agency, and examine his intentions.

Once the police were in control, the rest of the power institutions were supposed to come into Youngho’s hands naturally.