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Sabina Mammadli

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Azerbaijan as a key regional player greatly values its allies in the international arena, especially the other Turkic states, which are united by common language roots and traditions.

In this manner, Azerbaijan pays particular attention to its cooperation with the countries of Central Asia, considering the relations with these countries to be more than simple diplomacy and rather warm, familiar ties. Frequent bilateral visits, as well as multilateral cooperation and events organized within international organizations, give impetus to these relations. In this way, the recent visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Tajikistan’s Dushanbe, which proved to be a successful step in bilateral ties, was another such gesture of mutual commitment.

Approaching from the same aspect, the April 10 visit of the Azerbaijani president to Kazakhstan’s Astana city particularly demonstrates the existence of close ties between the two fraternal nations based on historical roots and geographical proximity.

“We are allies, we are brothers, we are friends,” President Aliyev stated further emphasizing the atmosphere of the visit.

In the framework of the visit, President Ilham Aliyev attended the inauguration ceremony of one of the biggest streets in Astana named after the great Azerbaijani leader Heydar Aliyev on the instruction of Kazakhstan. Such a grand gesture is the perfect example of fraternal cooperation between the two states and mutual respect for each other.

“Our duty is to perpetuate and preserve the memory of such eminent personalities as Heydar Aliyev. By opening a street named after him in Astana, we are making an important contribution to this noble cause. This is a sign of our warm attitude and sincere respect for the great son of the Azerbaijani people,” Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

Talking about Kazakh-Azerbaijani relations, the Azerbaijani national leader himself noted that the “roots of our peoples, which go back into the depths of history, form the basis of relations between the people of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan”. Decades passed since then but the moral remains standing: the relations between the two countries are as resilient and loyal as ever.

Cementing relations through signed documents

During the visit, the sides signed numerous documents and mulled cooperation in political, trade, economic, and cultural spheres, expressing satisfaction with the current affairs but always striving for further success.

“Some exceptionally important documents were signed today, fostering the development of our multifaceted cooperation. The future of allied and partnership relations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is bright and promising. Therefore, there is no doubt that we will continue to adhere to common positions in terms of serving the peoples of our states. Thank you for your attention,” Tokayev stated.

Besides, the sides noted a 40 percent increase in trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, which is approaching the half-billion mark last year. The heads of state underlined that there are possibilities for increasing the trade turnover between the two countries to a billion dollars. Special value is paid to the development of cooperation in the energy sector with a priority to further diversify energy supplies to world markets.

The two nations also cooperate in the cultural sphere with the organization of such significant events as the Days of Culture of Kazakhstan in Azerbaijan.

“Agreement has been reached to organize Days of Azerbaijan Culture in our country. Separately, I would like to note that a number of commemorative events will be dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of national leader and outstanding statesman of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyevich Aliyev in Kazakhstan this year,” the Kazakh leader pointed out.

Such a high level of cooperation and respect between Azerbaijan and the countries of Central Asia highlights Azerbaijan’s position as the international hub and a reliant partner, which can not be said about some of its neighbors.

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Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl

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