For the moment, however, as President Ilham Aliyev mourns the loss of his father and mentor, Heydar, his Russian counterpart Putin, Turkish President Ahmet Nedcet Sezer accompanied by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the top military brass as well as the Ukrainian and Kazakh presidents, Leonid Kuchma and Nursultan Nazarbaev, respectively, joined him at the funeral. Also present were Georgia’s past, present and (likely) future presidents Eduard Shevardnadze, Nino Burjanadze and Mikheil Saakashvili along with the leader of the separatist region of Ajaria – Aslan Abashidze. Bitter enemies in domestic politics, they represent all of Georgia in paying tribute to the memory of Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev.

This was in stark contrast to the virtual absence of high-level Americans and West Europeans. The U.S. delegation was led not by the friend of the late President - Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, but by Brent Scowcroft, a distinguished figure with no official standing. This is unfortunate, because as a leader who made the pro-Western orientation a cornerstone of his presidency, turned Azerbaijan into one of America’s most reliable partners and passed away in a Mid-Western hospital, Heydar Aliyev deserved greater attention from his Western friends. The arrival of Kansas Senator Sam Brownback added much-needed weight to the American delegation, though a difference in presence between the western partners on one hand and regional delegations, including those from Azerbaijan’s uneasy neighbors Iran and Russia on the other, could hardly escape thousands participating in the memorial service.

Does this matter? At the time, when America struggles for “hearts and minds”, it might. In Azerbaijan, attending weddings and funerals is among the most important social functions. Ignoring them is a show of ultimate disrespect. Attendance at Heydar Aliyev’s funeral may be seen as a measure of attitude towards the nation and the region as a whole. This is even more so with Aliyev’s son Ilham standing at the helm of the government.

Consider this: in 1993, Turkish President Turgut Ozal, a prominent and a strong leader, passed away. He was close with President George Bush, whom he counted among his personal friends, and was instrumental in helping the U.S. with the Gulf War. Many Turks expected George Bush to attend the funeral of a friend and a staunch ally. Bush never came. Ten years passed. Much has changed, but the disappointment is still remembered.