Azerbaijan, Tajikistan sign declaration on strategic partnership

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijan and Tajikistan on Thursday signed a declaration on strategic partnership amid an official visit by the latter to the Azerbaijani capital Baku, according to a presidential statement.

The declaration was signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon during a ceremony, which also saw the signing of six other documents on expanding cooperation in fields such as migration and digital trade, according to the Azerbaijani presidency.

The ceremony was preceded by talks between the two presidents at a narrow and expanded level, during which Aliyev said that meetings between him and Rahmon are of a “regular nature,” a separate statement quoted.

“Today we have continued our consultations and discussions on many important issues of the bilateral agenda, as well as international and regional affairs. It is clear that state visits have a special status, demonstrating the high level of relations between us,” he said.

Expressing that relations between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have long been of a strategic partnership nature, Aliyev said they aim to develop active cooperation between both countries in all areas.

Aliyev also argued that he thinks it will be useful to join their efforts and coordinate with regard to the transport sector due to the increasing popularity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route in Europe and Central Asia.

For his part, Rahmon expressed confidence that the results of their meetings will elevate bilateral cooperation to a “new level of development.”

“Today, we will make a historic decision that will raise our interstate relations to the level of strategic partnership. … I am convinced that the agreements to be reached today meet the fundamental interests of our brotherly peoples and will become a solid foundation for Tajik-Azerbaijani relations,” he added.​​​​​​​