Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have a high development potential in their regions, which makes the two states related, the expert said.
BAKU, July 31 – Sputnik. Uzbekistan can use the transit potential of Azerbaijan to ensure stable transit of its goods in the European direction, this will allow Uzbek producers to increase production, political scientist Tofig Abbasov believes.
It should be recalled that during the significant visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan, a number of important documents were signed, including the Declaration on deepening strategic partnership, which the head of state, following negotiations with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, called “a road map for joint activities between the two countries.”
In addition, eight documents were signed: a memorandum of understanding in the field of labor and social protection; memorandum of understanding in the field of communications and information and communication technologies; agreement on cooperation in the field of plant quarantine and protection; agreement on cooperation in the field of industrial property protection; agreement on international road traffic; agreement on military cooperation; an agreement on cooperation in the fight against illegal migration; and an agreement on industrial cooperation.
“Dozens of new projects are being worked out in the mining industry, petrochemistry, pharmaceuticals, the production of building materials, finished textiles, food, jewelry, winemaking,” Mirziyoyev said.
Another strategic area of cooperation was the development of transport communications. The parties agreed to develop new corridors, increase multimodal transportation, and create favorable conditions for transport enterprises. The leaders also agreed to intensify cooperation in the military-technical sphere.
Presidents Aliyev and Mirziyoyev agreed to organize another meeting in November this year in Samarkand on the sidelines of a joint concert of mugham and maqom to the verses of Fizuli and Navoi.
Cooperation in the oil and gas sector
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Uzbekneftegaz have agreed to expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector by signing an appropriate road map.
During the visit of the then acting president of the Azerbaijani oil company Rovshan Najaf to Tashkent, the parties discussed the prospects for cooperation and joint implementation of projects in the oil and gas sector.
The companies also agreed to intensify work on opening a trading house in Dubai, which will allow both parties to more actively enter new markets.
As a result of the meeting, it was decided to exchange experience with SOCAR in the preparation and implementation of large projects for the generation of renewable energy sources on the basis of public-private partnership and holding relevant tenders.
In addition, the parties noted the potential for joint exploration and production of hydrocarbons in Azerbaijan.
Expansion of ties in the field of agriculture
The agricultural departments of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan signed in Tashkent a “road map” for cooperation in the field of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) on the sidelines of the first meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the Organization of Turkic Speaking States.
The document provides for the exchange of experience between countries in matters of agricultural insurance, digitalization of the agro-industrial complex, the mechanism of state support for the agricultural sector, as well as activities to create a joint venture in the field of sericulture and the implementation of a number of other plans.
Air bridge between two countries
Since July 25, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has increased the number of weekly direct flights from Baku to the capital of Uzbekistan to three – on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
tripartite declaration
Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkey plan to sign a tripartite declaration. The document will be presented to the participants of the meeting of the heads of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Transport of the three countries, which will be held on August 2 in Tashkent.
Azerbaijan will be represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, as well as ministers of the government’s economic bloc.
It should be noted that in January-June the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan amounted to $83.7 million.
Establishing cooperation meets modern realities
Political scientist Tofig Abbasov recalled that Uzbekistan is the largest country in Central Asia in terms of population, and in the Soviet years it was Tashkent that was the key city of the region, since it had a large scientific and technical potential, and there was a wide cultural layer.
“Both countries know each other quite well – since Soviet times we have had good, encouraging cultural and civilizational ties, fraternal relations. The commonality of cultures, history, religion – all this is still beneficial to our cooperation,” Abbasov said.
He pointed out that just as Azerbaijan is the main country of the South Caucasus region, so Uzbekistan is the main country of the Central Asian region.
“Both countries have a high development potential, which makes us very close. Both Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are moving away from a resource-based economy towards an intellectual, high-tech economy. We have common priorities and interests, and, most importantly, we feel each other’s shoulder. Almost all our asset of the socio-economic complex,” the political scientist explained.
According to him, the establishment of cooperation between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan meets modern economic realities: “Ankara is interested in creating a common market.”
The conversation is not about creating a military-political bloc, on the contrary, new economic mechanisms are being created for more effective interaction, Abbasov said, recalling that today Azerbaijan attaches great importance to ensuring through cargo transportation.
“In this regard, it would be a sin not to take advantage of the opportunity to create a single web of rail, road and sea communications and establish stable and uninterrupted cargo transportation through the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route), which closes on all Turkic states and passes through Azerbaijan and Turkey all the way to Europe,” – says the expert.
According to him, the availability of guaranteed communication by land and water is a real preference, which provides additional export opportunities for Uzbek manufacturers and allows increasing production.
