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Elnur Enveroglu

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The development of relations with Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, holds a special place among Azerbaijan's foreign policy priorities. The two countries have strategic partnership relations built on the foundations of strong friendship and brotherhood. Azerbaijani and Uzbek peoples are closely united by common religion, language, tradition, culture and historical closeness. Until now, relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have developed on an upward line in all fields, and our countries have always supported each other in the most important issues.

The state visit of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan together with his spouse, First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, and daughter Leyla Aliyeva stems from the brotherly and strong friendship relations that have existed between Baku and Tashkent for a long time.

Undoubtedly, National Leader Heydar Aliyev played an exceptional role in establishing the strategy for the development of relations between the two fraternal states. His official visit to Uzbekistan on June 18-19, 1997, further contributed to determining the future development prospects of cooperation. During the visit, a number of important documents that form the basis of bilateral relations were signed.

After Uzbekistan became a member of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) in October 2019, fraternal relations began to strengthen. In 2020, Uzbekistan once again expressed its sincere attitude by providing political support to Azerbaijan during the Patriotic War and through its contribution to building a large school in Fuzuli in the liberated Garabagh.

With the political will and special attention of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, relations with Uzbekistan have reached a high level of development, and comprehensive cooperation relations have been formed in all fields. During President Ilham Aliyev's first state visit to Uzbekistan on March 23-24, 2004, the Declaration "On further strengthening of strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan" was signed, and with this document, the foundation of strategic partnership relations between the two countries was laid.

It should be recalled that starting in 2020, the period of conflict and post-conflict was remembered as an important dynamic year in the development of relations between the Turkic States. In this month of 2022, the Tashkent declaration was signed at the ministerial level meeting. The document signed after the meeting held in the dialogue format between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Uzbekistan emphasised the post-conflict contribution to Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that the fact that the Azerbaijani President has high-level personal relations based on mutual trust and confidence with the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, gives an important impetus to the dynamics of the development of these relations and plays a special role in the expansion of cooperation.

It is no coincidence that in the last 3 years, President Ilham Aliyev has made 1 state visit and 3 business visits to Uzbekistan. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has also paid 1 state visit and 3 business visits to our country during that period. During the next state visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan on June 21-22, 2022, the Declaration "On deepening strategic partnership and expanding comprehensive cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan" was signed. During the state visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Azerbaijan on August 22-23, 2023, the Agreement "On the establishment of the Supreme Interstate Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan" was signed. These visits and signed documents further strengthened Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations and made an important contribution to the development of mutual cooperation in various fields. Currently, Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations are intensively and successfully developed both on bilateral and multilateral platforms, as well as within the framework of the OTS.

The strategic partnership relations established between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are becoming stronger and richer in content day by day. Besides, the current visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan aims to further strengthen the strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to a higher level - the level of alliance. This visit is also expected to be of historical significance in terms of the comprehensive expansion of cooperation in all fields.

Azerbaijan attaches special importance to the deepening of its exceptional relations with Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, both bilaterally and multilaterally. Azerbaijan has been invited and participated as an honoured guest in the Consultative Meeting of the Central Asian Heads of State, which contributes to the realisation of the existing cooperation potential of the region and the creation of new partnership opportunities for the second year in a row. Certainly, this respect and trust is highly appreciated in Azerbaijan.

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