BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. Cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan enters a new strategic stage, political
analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
According to Garayev, the state visit of the President of
Turkmenistan, Sardar Berdimuhamedov, to Azerbaijan can be assessed
as another important stage in the development of relations between
the two brotherly countries. The high-level meetings held within
the framework of the visit, the numerous documents signed and the
political messages given show that the cooperation between Baku and
Ashgabat is already going beyond the boundaries of traditional
friendly relations and is taking on a more systematic and strategic
character.
"Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are united not only by common
history, language and culture, but also by modern geopolitical and
economic interests. In recent years, the active participation of
both countries in regional transport and logistics projects, their
increasing role in energy security issues and their contribution to
integration processes in the Turkic world have led to the
acquisition of new content in relations.
The ideas expressed by President Ilham Aliyev during the
enlarged meeting also draw attention in this direction. Emphasizing
that the issues currently on the global agenda - transport and
energy security - are at the forefront, the head of state said that
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan play a very important role not only in
the region but also at the global level, both at the national level
and through joint initiatives, and that this role will increase
further in the future. This idea actually determines the main line
of future cooperation between the two countries. In recent years,
the increase in geopolitical tensions in the world, the need for
new trade routes and changes in energy markets have further
increased the importance of the Caspian region. Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan are among the states at the center of these
processes," the analyst said.
According to him, one of the most important results of the visit
was the signing of a wide package of documents covering various
areas.
"Among these documents, the agreement on cooperation in the
energy sector is particularly noteworthy. Both countries have rich
hydrocarbon resources, and interaction in the energy sector has
been considered one of the main directions of relations for many
years. The new agreement creates a legal basis for continuing this
cooperation on a more systematic and institutional basis. In
addition, the agreement on the main directions of development and
deepening of economic cooperation is also of strategic importance.
This document can play the role of an important platform in terms
of increasing trade turnover between the two countries, expanding
investment opportunities and implementing new business
projects.
The documents signed in the field of transport and logistics
should also be emphasized. The approval of technical conditions for
the exchange of preliminary information on transported goods and
vehicles is considered an important step for accelerating cargo
transportation, simplifying customs procedures and expanding
transit opportunities. In modern times, the speed and effectiveness
of international trade largely depends on such technical
mechanisms," he noted.
Garayev pointed out that transport cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan has long gone beyond the framework of
bilateral relations and has become an issue of regional
importance.
"The routes connecting Central Asia with the Caucasus and Europe
through the Caspian Sea, in addition to increasing the economic
potential of both countries, strengthen their positions on the
logistics map of Eurasia. President Ilham Aliyev, in his press
statement, drew special attention to this point and said: "There
are not many reliable and secure transport routes connecting
countries in the world today that connect cooperating countries."
This statement seems especially relevant against the background of
changes in the international trade system in recent years.
Conflicts in various regions, concerns about the security of trade
routes, and the formation of new economic centers increase the
importance of transit countries such as Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan. Cooperation between Baku and Ashgabat in the field of
transport takes on greater strategic significance against the
background of these realities," he noted.
The analyst emphasized that humanitarian and cultural relations
were also in the spotlight during the visit.
"In recent years, the organization of mutual Cultural Days,
visits of creative collectives and humanitarian projects have
served to further strengthen the closeness between the peoples.
This cooperation forms an important social base for the sustainable
development of political and economic relations. In particular, the
mosque project built with the financial support of Turkmenistan in
the city of Fuzuli is one of the symbolic steps demonstrating the
spiritual dimension of relations. President Ilham Aliyev said in
this regard: "I would like to once again express my gratitude to
Turkmenistan and my dear brother Arkadag, Gurbanguly
Malikgulyyevich Berdimuhamedov, for their assistance in the
restoration of Garabagh. In July last year, during his visit, he
put forward the initiative to build a mosque in the city of Fuzuli,
and construction has already begun. This is yet another testimony
to the sincere and friendly attitude of Turkmenistan, its National
Leader, and the entire brotherly people of Turkmenistan toward
Azerbaijan. "The importance of this project is not limited to the
religious or architectural aspect. It is about the support provided
by the fraternal country to the restoration of the territories
liberated from occupation. This further strengthens the emotional
and spiritual side of the relations," Garayev noted.
According to him, among the signed documents, memorandums
covering the fields of healthcare, agriculture, food security,
labor and social protection, sports and industry are also
noteworthy.
"These documents show that the parties do not intend to limit
cooperation only to major geopolitical and economic projects. On
the contrary, the goal is to exchange mutual experience and deepen
relations in a wide range, from public administration to social
spheres. The statement voiced by the President of Turkmenistan,
Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in his speech, that "cooperation between
Turkmenistan and the Republic of Azerbaijan will develop in all
major areas," reflects this approach. Looking at the list of signed
documents, it is clear that this statement is accompanied by
concrete practical steps," the analyst said.
Garayev pointed out that another important point is that
Azerbaijan's relations with Central Asia have entered a new
stage.
"In recent years, Baku has significantly expanded its relations
with regional states. Intensification of cooperation with
Turkmenistan is also an integral part of this policy. The
representation of Azerbaijan as a full member in the Consultative
Council of Heads of State of Central Asia indicates that the
country's relations with the region will further deepen.
All this shows that Serdar Berdimuhamedov's state visit to
Azerbaijan is not just a diplomatic protocol event. The agreements
reached as a result of the visit, the signed documents and the
political messages given demonstrate that Azerbaijani-Turkmen
relations have entered a qualitatively new stage.
Today, Baku and Ashgabat have common interests in many areas,
from the development of transport corridors to energy cooperation,
from humanitarian relations to economic partnership. At a time when
global geopolitical changes are accelerating, this cooperation is
of great importance not only for the future development of the two
countries, but also for the Caspian region and the Turkic world as
a whole," the analyst concluded.
