Azernews.Az

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin have signed a Declaration on “Allied Interaction between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation” in Moscow, Azertag reported on February 22.

The Declaration aims to raise Azerbaijan-Russia bilateral relations to a qualitatively new level - that of allied relations, the report added.

The parties agree to promote cooperation in the political, economic, defense, cultural, humanitarian, educational, and social spheres, as well as healthcare, youth cooperation, and sports, based on mutual historical traditions of friendship and good neighborliness, as well as deep cultural and humanitarian ties.

Cooperation in regional, global security

Azerbaijan and Russia agree to cooperate to strengthen peace, stability, and security on a global and regional scale by expressing mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, according to the document.

The parties stress the importance of international platforms such as the United Nations and its Security Council, as well as the OSCE, in conflict prevention and resolution.

Azerbaijan and Russia declare to hold "the same or similar positions on topical international issues" by deepening bilateral and multilateral constructive cooperation, according to the document.

The parties stress the importance of cooperation on foreign policy issues to maintain stability and security in the Caucasus and Caspian regions.

"The Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan express their readiness to hold urgent consultations in the event of a situation that, in the opinion of one of the Parties, may pose a threat to peace, disrupt peace, or affect one of the Parties' security interests," Article 6 states.

The parties agree to refrain from taking any actions that, in the opinion of one of the parties, could jeopardize the strategic partnership and allied relations between the states. In this regard, they are establishing a permanent mechanism of consultations through their respective foreign ministries.

Russia and Azerbaijan will continue to contribute in any way possible to the implementation of the trilateral statements (9/10 November 2020, 11 January 2021, and 26 November 2021), which served as a foundation for strengthening stability and security, unblocking all economic and transportation ties in the region, and normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The parties stress the importance of the 12 August 2018 Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea as a reliable legal basis for maintaining and strengthening security and stability in the Caspian region.

The parties agree to resolutely suppress on their respective territories the activities of organizations and individuals hostile to the other Party's state sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

Military-political cooperation

According to the declaration, the parties will develop bilateral military-political cooperation in accordance with their national interests, but not against third countries. The parties intend to deepen interaction between their armed forces by holding joint operational and combat training exercises, as well as developing other areas of bilateral military cooperation.

The parties also agree on military-technical cooperation, which includes the provision of modern weapons and military equipment, as well as the establishment of service centers for weapon and military equipment maintenance, repair, and modernization.

“In order to ensure security, maintain peace and stability, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan may consider the possibility of providing each other with military assistance on the basis of the UN Charter, separate international treaties and taking into account the existing international legal obligations of each of the Parties,” Article 16 reads.

The parties work together to combat the threats of international terrorism, extremism and separatism, transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking in weapons, narcotic drugs and their precursors, human trafficking, and crimes involving information and communication technologies, as well as other new security challenges.

Economic cooperation

The parties agree to promote mutual and regional economic cooperation, as well as deepen economic interaction between the two countries, and to create favorable conditions for the free movement of goods and services in accordance with bilateral and multilateral agreements. The countries plan to expand mutually beneficial trade as well as economic, financial, scientific, and technological cooperation.

The countries express their willingness to further strengthen economic ties between metallurgy, oil, gas, and heavy engineering enterprises, aviation, automotive, chemical, pharmaceutical, and light industries, agricultural, road construction, and food engineering enterprises.

“The Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan will refrain from carrying out any economic activity that causes direct or indirect damage to the interests of the other Party,” Article 25 states.

Azerbaijan and Russia are keen to promote the use of national currencies in mutual settlements, the integration of payment systems, including bank cards, and the development of direct correspondent relations between the two countries' banks as part of their financial cooperation.

Transit, energy cooperation

The parties intend to make progress in transit and transportation interaction, as well as to create favorable economic conditions for the long-term operation of the North-South international transport corridor.

"The Parties will support each other's efforts in resolving issues relating to ensuring the security and uninterrupted operation of international transport corridors passing through their territories and will provide each other with favourable transit traffic conditions within the framework of their respective national legislations and bilateral agreements," Article 30 states.

The two countries also agree on working closely to stimulate international energy cooperation and strengthen global energy security on an equal and mutually beneficial basis, intending to deepen cooperation in the fuel and energy sector. The sides also will consider cooperating in the field of the peaceful use of atomic energy.

Other fields

Furthermore, the document also envisages cooperation in areas such as agriculture and food security, healthcare, culture, art, education, science, tourism, and sports, among others.

The statement emphasizes mutual support within various international economic, financial, and other organizations, as well as aims to strengthen Azerbaijan-Russia inter-parliamentary cooperation.

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