Azernews.Az

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has hailed the current level of bilateral ties with Poland, stressing ample opportunities for further expanding cooperation in various spheres.

President Aliyev made the remarks in his congratulatory letter to his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda on the 30th anniversary of establishing Azerbaijani-Polish diplomatic relations.

“Relations between Azerbaijan and Poland share deep historical roots and fine traditions. Our historical ties have created a solid foundation for our cooperation in the modern era. It is gratifying that the present level of our relations has ascended to that of strategic partnership and is underpinned by the friendly traditions between our peoples,” the president said.

Aliyev stressed the fact that Azerbaijan places high value on ties with Poland. He stressed that the high-level reciprocal visits and expanding of dialogue in the political, economic, trade, cultural, and other spheres are the features defining the 30-year history of bilateral diplomatic relations.

“Notably, this year we also celebrate the fifth anniversary of signing the ‘The Joint Declaration on the Road Map for Strategic Partnership and Economic Cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Poland’ that vividly demonstrates the nature of our relationship. I think that there are ample opportunities for advancing the mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and Poland. We can further cement and expand our interaction through harnessing the full potential existing in economic, transportation and other domains,” Aliyev said.

The president noted that continuous engagement and visits at the highest level hold special significance in developing interstate relations.

He expressed confidence that through joint efforts, the Azerbaijan-Poland ties will continue to develop and expand successfully in line with the interests of the two countries and nations.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry shared similar views on its official Twitter account.

“Today marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Poland. We send our best wishes to the Government and People of the Republic of Poland on this occasion. Looking forward to further strengthening of Azerbaijani-Polish cooperation,” the ministry tweeted.

The Polish embassy in Azerbaijan opened on August 23, 2001, and the Azerbaijani embassy in Poland opened on August 30, 2004. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

On December 27, 1991, Poland recognized Azerbaijan's independence. Though intensive diplomatic contacts were established only a few years later, when late national leader, then-President Heydar Aliyev, visited Poland in August 1997 and then Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski visited Azerbaijan in October 1999. Poland supported Azerbaijan's candidacy for membership in the Council of Europe and the World Trade Organization, as well as declared its interest in participating in various energy projects. Poland backs Azerbaijan's bid to join the EU and NATO.

Poland's then-President Lech Kaczynski visited Azerbaijan in 2007, and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev visited Poland on February 26, 2008. During the visit, both parties signed a joint statement. The statement stated that Poland supports a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict within the framework of Azerbaijan's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and border inviolability, as well as the framework of the United Nations Charter. During his fifth visit, Kaczynski was awarded the Order of Heydar Aliyev for his exceptional contributions to the development of relations.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Poland amounted to $111 million in 2021, with exports accounting for $5.4 million and imports for $105.5 million. In addition, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $7.2 million in January 2022.

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