Azerbaijan and the SCO: Relations Built on Mutual Pragmatism

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit was held in Bishkek from August 31 to September 1. It was attended by heads of state of SCO member countries, as well as representatives of observer states, dialogue partners, and international organisations.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid a working visit to the Kyrgyz Republic to participate in the SCO anniversary events.

The programme began with a meeting of the Council of Heads of State under the motto "25 Years of the SCO." Participants discussed the organisation's achievements and further cooperation in the areas of security, politics, economics, and humanitarian ties.

The South Caucasus - a Zone of Peace

"A little over a year ago, Azerbaijan and Armenia put an end to a conflict that had lasted more than 30 years by initialling the text of a peace agreement. Thus, the South Caucasus region, which had been a zone of prolonged conflicts, is transforming into a zone of peace," said the head of our state in his speech at the summit, emphasising that four resolutions of the UN Security Council adopted in 1993 were implemented 30 years later - only three years ago. That is, the UN played no role in the implementation of these documents. Azerbaijan itself fully restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The President of Azerbaijan thus drew the attention of those gathered to the fact that the timely implementation of UN Security Council resolutions requires the development of appropriate mechanisms, as this would help enhance the authority of the UN and the organisation's role in conflict resolution. Today, Azerbaijan is already supplying petroleum products to Armenia and ensuring the transit of goods from third countries.

Together with Armenia, we are working on increasing the volume of mutual trade, expanding its range, and creating new overland transport communications, bringing closer the final peace not only between the two states but in the region as a whole.

In his speech, he once again emphasised that the Treaty on Allied Relations has elevated the interaction between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan to the highest level. It was once again demonstrated that our country's ties with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and other Central Asian states are becoming an important component of regional cooperation. And the fact that Azerbaijan, as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, will continue to contribute to strengthening the principles of multilateralism in international affairs, demonstrates our country's intention to actively uphold its positions on the global agenda.

Thus, Azerbaijan pursues an active policy on the agenda of alliance with Kyrgyzstan, strategic partnership with Kazakhstan, brotherhood and alliance with Türkiye, good neighbourliness with Iran, and peace with Armenia.

Mutual Pragmatism

Relations between Azerbaijan and the SC