The historical ties developed between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan over the centuries are a solid foundation for developing modern relations. The strategic partnership and multifaceted cooperation between the two fraternal countries is reaching a new level thanks to regular and effective high-level dialogue.

Therefore, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan is essential for the common interests of the Central Asian region.        

At the invitation of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived in Uzbekistan on a state visit.

UzA correspondent interviewed experts on the current state and prospects of relations in connection with this important event.

Sayfiddin Jurayev, Director of the Analytical Research Center of Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies:

– This visit acquired a regular and strategic character based on the development, content, essence, and directions of the current ties and the two countries’ fundamental interests. The peculiar aspects of this process reflect the following principles: 

First, political and diplomatic communication is characterized by the effectiveness of high-level meetings and the implementation of issues under consideration. The heads of state strongly desire to establish mutual trust and understanding and resolve any issue through an open and constructive dialogue. The exchange of mutual visits takes relations to a qualitatively new level. The signing of official documents, including the Declaration on the Development and Deepening of Comprehensive Cooperation, the Agreement on the Establishment of the Supreme Interstate Council;

Second, from a geopolitical, geo-economic, and geostrategic point of view, Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner for Uzbekistan in the South Caucasus, and Uzbekistan is the same partner for Azerbaijan in Central Asia. At the same time, political, diplomatic, economic, and cultural-humanitarian relations between the two countries steadily expand in the face of uncertainty in the international order and a sharp decline in mutual trust between major powers.     

Third, the new direction of cooperation is characterized by establishing interregional relations and improving these processes. It should be noted that ties in this direction bring closer distances between citizens, entrepreneurs, and manufacturing enterprises, identify new opportunities for quickly resolving organizational and legal issues, and strengthen direct cooperation. To date, partnerships have been established between Samarkand and Ganja, Khiva and Shusha, Bukhara and Lankaran, Kokand and Sheki, Namangan and Mingachevir, Gulistan and Fuzuli, Termez and Bilasuvar.     

Fourth, multifaceted relations are manifested within the framework of international and regional organizations, particularly the UN, SCO, OIC, OTS, Non-Aligned Movement, and Commonwealth of Independent States.

Fifth, a completely new situation is emerging in transport cooperation, which is gaining not only regional but also international importance. Currently, land transport corridors are of geostrategic importance for all countries. In this regard, we can say that our countries are located at the intersection of international trade routes as a bridge naturally connecting Europe and Asia, and actions to turn their strategic position into long-term economic benefits are a priority. In particular, the Azerbaijani side supports the construction of the Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan – China railway. Uzbekistan is actively using the opportunities provided by the Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway to export its products to the world market. Regular flights have been launched from Baku to Tashkent, Samarkand, Urgench, and Fergana.           

Sixth, our cultural-humanitarian relations are at a new stage. The historical community of religion, language, culture, and traditions is essential to the exchange development.

I think the Azerbaijani Leader’s state visit to Uzbekistan and the high-level talks will further deepen this process.

Farkhod Tolipov, Director of the “Bilim Karvoni” Non-Governmental Scientific-Educational Institution:

– The world’s leading scientists and political scientists often define Azerbaijan as the leader of the South Caucasus and Uzbekistan as the leader of Central Asia.        

The position of these countries, which have a specific authority in the international arena, significantly impacts the development of the entire region. Therefore, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan play a crucial role in their regions today. A bilateral strategic partnership enhances this advantage. Strategic partnership, in turn, means the highest level of mutual trust, similarity of positions on the most critical issues on the international agenda, and foreign policy compatibility.   

During the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Tashkent in June 2022, the leaders signed a Declaration on deepening strategic partnership and expanding comprehensive cooperation.

From now on, priority should be given to several areas of cooperation. 

Thanks to cooperation within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the geopolitical potential has been increasing. Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye have established an internal mechanism for close collaboration to accelerate mutual trade and transport-communication projects.          

The so-called “Middle Corridor” route is developing, passing through Central Asia and the Caucasus to Europe, and the Transcaucasian region is becoming a strategic transport center. Uzbekistan is strategically interested in transporting goods along this route as a transit country. From this point of view, the Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway is particularly interesting to Uzbekistan.        

It is also strategically important to achieve commonality or similarity of the two countries’ foreign policy positions on the most critical issues of world politics.       

I would like to note that the process of regional integration is rapidly developing in Central Asia in the form of consultative meetings of heads of state on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan. The Caucasus region is also going through a unique process. Therefore, cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan will soon acquire interregional importance.       

Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries share many aspects. A lot has been said about this.  

In conclusion, we would like to note that in the future, Central Asia and the Caucasus region, as significant centers of power, can and should jointly express common interests to the world’s leading countries.

Interviewed by Utkir Alimov, UzA