Sevinç İrem BALCI
On April 20, 2022, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov met with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in private format during his official visit to Baku, according to the head of state’s press service. The leaders reviewed the existing situation and future prospects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan.
In the meeting, it was declared the establishment of an Interstate Council, meetings of which will address the most important issues of development of relations between the two states.
The 26-point declaration dominated a package of 10 documents were signed. In the declaration, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan affirm each other’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability of the internationally recognized borders. The two countries expressed readiness to continue to develop the political dialogue on all areas of the bilateral cooperation, and on international and regional issues of mutual interest.
Baku and Bishkek affirmed commitment to implementing large and strategically important projects in the fields of energy, industry, infrastructure, green economy, renewable energy sources, organic production and ecotourism.
In the press briefing, the leader of Kyrgyzstan explained that the conversations took place in a climate of complete understanding, openness, and trust, which characterizes the states’ friendly relations. Japarov further stated that Kyrgyzstan is committed to active participation on international forums, strengthening political discourse, establishing and developing deeper economic ties, collaborating on large investment projects, and enhancing humanitarian cooperation.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev also added that declaration would predetermine the character and form of relations between the two countries. “Strategic partnership is a high level of interaction and sets us for cooperation of a strategic nature.”
Aliyev, stressing the importance of mutual membership of the two states to intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations that, “In terms of the international arena, I must state that Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan have a long history of mutual assistance in all international institutions. We appreciate Kyrgyzstan’s support for Azerbaijan’s presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement being extended. Within the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Organization of Turkish States, and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), we constantly support each other,” he said.
It should be noted that, Republic of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyz Republic established official relations after the resolution of the Soviet Union in 1993. Due to historical and cultural ties, the relations between the two states have always been in a positive way. Besides the political relations, the two countries also have economic relations, as an example, lastly in January 2022, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan have decided to deepen their joint conversation and encourage greater commercial, economic, and investment cooperation. The parties designated the special role of the joint implementation of investment projects and the creation of joint ventures. It can be said that, the declaration of strategic partnership is an assurance for continuation of good relations.