Local Elites meet Foreign Corporations : The examples of Iran and Azerbaijan

Oil companies have jumped on the bandwagon of promotion of democracy and human rights, but without sufficient expertise in local conditions. What works in one country may backfire in another. Azeri democrats want the oil industry to stop propping up the Aliev regime and talk to them instead, but for an Iranian democratic politician, support from Western oil companies is counterproductive. However, in both countries democrats call for more transparency. DH