Azerbaijan Maintains High-Level Ties With SCO Member Countries - MP

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 4. Azerbaijan maintains high-level ties with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), including its member countries, a member of the Azerbaijani parliament Sevinj Huseynova told Trend .

She noted that President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the regular summit of the SCO in Kazakhstan underscores Azerbaijan's international standing, the confidence in its leadership, and the head of state.

"President Ilham Aliyev's second invitation to the SCO summit and his meetings with member state leaders highlight the strong cooperation. I am confident his participation will significantly enhance relations and cooperation within the organization and among its member states and Azerbaijan," she added.

"The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in political and economic spheres, particularly in transportation, communication, energy, and other sectors. During President Ilham Aliyev's meetings with heads of SCO member states, these topics were addressed, emphasizing mutual interest in cooperation and the need for proactive steps," the MP highlighted.

Mushfig Jafarov, another MP, told Trend that Azerbaijan's recurrent invitation to the SCO summit reflects President Ilham Aliyev's longstanding successful foreign policy.

"Azerbaijan, like Türkiye, currently holds the status of a dialogue partner in the SCO. In 2016, Azerbaijan and SCO signed a memorandum outlining areas of cooperation, including combating terrorism, extremism, and separatism, as well as ensuring regional security and stability-priority areas for both Azerbaijan and the organization. Azerbaijan's continued participation in such a significant international platform is crucial for its engagement in regional processes and decision-making.

Azerbaijan maintains robust bilateral relations with the most SCO member countries, steadily advancing these ties each year. During the summit, President Ilham Aliyev held bilateral meetings with several heads of SCO member states. The Astana Summit was notable for several milestones for Azerbaijan, including the adoption of the "Joint Declaration on Establishing Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China" and the inaugural trilateral summit among the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye and the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Thanks to the foreign policy initiatives of the Head of State and significant infrastructure projects implemented in recent years, Azerbaijan has emerged as a crucial international transport and logistics hub. Azerbaijan's pivotal role in launching regional communication projects like the East-West and North-South transport corridors continues to grow. It has become the primary link between China and Europe, a key artery for global cargo flow," he said.

The MP also underscored that these achievements stem from President Ilham Aliyev's thoughtful and effective foreign policy, which has earned him widespread respect as a visionary leader.

"The invitation of our head of state to prestigious events reflects not only Azerbaijan's strategic location between East and West but also underscores President Ilham Aliyev's authority and political foresight," added Jafarov.

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