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.
