Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Emerges As New Opportunity For Azerbaijan, Tajikistan Relations

(MENAFN- AzerNews)

Elnur Enveroglu Read more

Bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan span morethan thirty years. Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations withthe Republic of Tajikistan for the first time on May 29, 1992, inthe second year of its independence.

In addition, there are a number of common values that uniteAzerbaijan and Tajikistan. Azerbaijan can be considered importantdue to the geostrategic importance of Tajikistan, which is aCentral Asian state.

The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic ofAzerbaijan and the Republic of Tajikistan was signed on March 15,2007, in parallel with the opening of the Embassy of Azerbaijan inthe Tajikistan Republic. Certainly, this great event played anexceptional role in strengthening mutual cooperation between thetwo countries. The mutual visits of the two heads of state resultedin important events in the steps taken forward.

The meeting of Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, who iscurrently on a state visit to Azerbaijan, with President IlhamAliyev in Baku was marked by the signing of 14 important documents Ilham Aliyev emphasised this in his expanded meeting withthe President of Tajikistan and noted that the Declaration ofStrategic Partnership signed between the two countries is one ofthe important stages in the development of relations.

Azerbaijan considers it important to develop mutual cooperationin relations with Tajikistan, not only in one field, but also inthe fields of transport and logistics. During the meeting,President Ilham Aliyev drew attention to this issue and emphasisedthe strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian transportcorridor.

“Of course, one of the topics we discussed today is cooperationin the transport sector, taking into account the new opportunitiesof the transport and logistical infrastructure of Tajikistan andAzerbaijan. I think it will be useful to join our efforts in thisdirection and coordinate our steps more closely. The Trans-Caspiantransport corridor is becoming increasingly popular in the Europeanand Central Asian regions. Azerbaijan, as a connecting link and acountry located at the junction of Europe and Asia, of course,plays an important role in this issue with its transportationinfrastructure,” President Ilham Aliyev said in his expandedmeeting with his Tajik counterpart.

During the negotiations, the President of Tajikistan emphasisedthat special attention was paid to the agricultural sector. Inaddition, Emomali Rahmon said that he appreciated the signing ofthe Road Map on the development of cooperation in the field oftourism and noted that the relevant institutions of Tajikistan havebeen instructed to take measures to restore direct flights betweenBaku and Dushanbe.

At the same time, the President of Tajikistan once again saidthat special attention is paid to the fields of transport andcommunication during the press statement event with his Azerbaijanicounterpart. He said that he is grateful to the Azerbaijani sidefor providing acceptable transit rates to the freight carriers ofTajikistan.

Thus, from the meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan andTajikistan, it is once again clear that Azerbaijan is the mostreliable partner, friend, and strategic country not only for Europebut also for Central Asian states. During the negotiations betweenthe presidents, the impressions expressed by the President ofTajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, about Azerbaijan were remembered withspecial importance. He addressed to his Azerbaijani counterpart,President Ilham Aliyev, a famous phrase used by leaders of Westerncountries about Azerbaijan: "Azerbaijan is a reliable friend andpartner for Tajikistan. Our countries have time-testedrelations."

Azerbaijan's political and economic strategies have always beenbased on reliability and sincerity in friendship and cooperationwith all countries. This has always been done in a balanced way,not only with the Eastern allies but also with the Western allies, the important steps taken by Azerbaijan in the direction ofthe security of the South Caucasus serve to ensure a long-termpartnership with Western and Eastern countries.

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