The relationship between Azerbaijan and Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation dates back to 1992 when Azerbaijan signed Istanbul Summit Declaration and the Bosphorus Statement.
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, and has an 11 km (6.8 mi) long border with Turkey in the northwest.
Black Sea Economic Cooperation was formed according to the Istanbul Summit Declaration and the Bosphorus Statement signed on 25 June 1992 by the Heads of State and Government of the countries in the region. BSEC gained international legal identity when it was transformed into a full-fledged organization - the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation on May 1, 1999 after its Charter entered into force.[1]
The Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) is a regional international organization focusing on multilateral political and economic initiatives aimed at fostering cooperation, peace, stability and prosperity in the Black Sea region. It traces its origin to 25 June 1992, when Turkish President Turgut Özal and leaders of ten other countries gathered in Istanbul and signed the Summit Declaration and the "Bosphorus Statement". BSEC Headquarters – the Permanent International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation – was established in March 1994, also in Istanbul.
The Organization has 12 member states (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine)[2] cooperating on various areas like agriculture, finance, education, culture, tourism, trade, transport, energy, and healthcare. Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs is the main decision-making organ. The Heads of the member countries meet generally every 5 years in the Summit Meetings.[3]
Albania, officially the Republic of Albania, is a country in Southeast Europe on the Adriatic and Ionian Sea within the Mediterranean Sea. It shares land borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east, Greece to the south and maritime borders with Greece, Montenegro and Italy to the west.
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. The capital and largest city is Sofia; other major cities are Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas. With a territory of 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi), Bulgaria is Europe's 16th-largest country.
Georgia, known until 1995 as the Republic of Georgia, is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi. Georgia covers a territory of 69,700 square kilometres (26,911 sq mi), and its 2017 population is about 3.718 million. Georgia is a unitary parliamentary republic, with the government elected through a representative democracy.
History of relations
Azerbaijan is one of the founding members of the OBSEC and since 25 June 1992. Azerbaijan collaborates on trade, customs, transport, energy, environment, information and communications, science and technology issues based on mutual interests with the member states.[4]
Due to the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh region, Azerbaijan started to actively participate in the work of OBSEC after ceasefire was declared. The President of Azerbaijan attended in the Summit of OBSEC on 25 October 1996 for the first time and signed Moscow Declaration. President Heydar Aliyev addressed the business conference on “New opportunities to Black Sea Region” on April 28, 1997 in Istanbul. He also attended the Meeting of Head of the States held in Yalta (1998), and in Istanbul (1999 and 2002). During these events, he met with the presidents of member states and discussed mutual relations on different issues.[5]
The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the head of state of Azerbaijan.
Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev was an Azerbaijani politician who served as the third President of Azerbaijan from October 1993 to October 2003. As national president he held constitutional powers, but his influence on Azerbaijani politics had begun years earlier. As a young man he had joined the Azerbaijan SSR People's Commissariat for State Security (NKGB) and quickly rose to the rank of Major-General.
Istanbul, formerly known as Byzantium and Constantinople, is the most populous city in Turkey and the country's economic, cultural and historic center. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosporus strait between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its commercial and historical center lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives in suburbs on the Asian side of the Bosporus. With a total population of around 15 million residents in its metropolitan area, Istanbul is one of the world's most populous cities, ranking as the world's fourth largest city proper and the largest European city. The city is the administrative center of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
During the period of 1992-2003, relations between OBSEC and Azerbaijan were more advisory, but since 2003 the relations have been characterized by the development of cooperation in specific areas. The relations with OBSEC are developing at a low pace because conflicts between member states (Azerbaijan-Armenia, Russia-Georgia, Greece-Turkey) and economic crisis have weakened inter-institutional integration processes.[5]
President Ilham Aliyev accepted General Secretary of OBSEC Valeri Chechelashvili in November 2003, ministers of education of member states in April 2004, Secretary General Tedo Japaridze in February 2006, Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos in June 2006. On June 25, 2007, President Ilham Aliyev participated in the Summit of the Heads of States of the BSEC Member States dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the organization.[5]
Delegation of Milli Majlis visited Georgia to attend 42nd Meeting of PABSEC in December 2013. During this visit, extending cooperation among member states, improving agriculture in the region, causes of global climate change, considering possible options to eliminate harmful effects of this process were discussed.[6]
In September 2013, the 41st meeting of PABSEC Committee on Economy, trade, technology and ecology was held in Ganja with the participation of representatives of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Greece. MP Musa Guliyev was appointed as the head of PABSEC Committee on Economy, trade, technology and ecology.[6]
The Secretary General of PABSEC is Asaf Hajiyev,[9] representative of Azerbaijan since 2015 January 1.[4]
Azerbaijan performed Country-Coordinator of the Working Group on Energy (2005-2007),[10] Customs Matters, Science and Technology (2014-2016).[6]
Azerbaijan participates in the Black Sea Ring Highway project aimed at developing Black Sea region and strengthening cooperation between member states.[10]
High Level Forum on attracting the private sector to Agro-food chain development was held in Baku in February 2014 organized by OBSEC Business Council, National Confederation of Entrepreneurs Organizations of Azerbaijan, and FAO, supported by Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Agriculture.[10]
Chairmanship of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan hold Chairmanship in the Organization in May 2003, in the end of the term, Azerbaijan’s chairmanship was extended for the next period (2003 October – 2004 April).[6] Azerbaijan hold Chairmanship on May 1 – November 2009 according to the decision adopted at the 20th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 15–16 April 2009.[10] During the period of chairmanship to OBSEC, Azerbaijan organized meetings of ministers of energy (18-19 September 2003), transport (1-3 October 2003), and tourism (25-26 September 2003). Besides, Azerbaijan hosted 9th and 11th meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OBSEC. Serbia (formerly Serbia and Montenegro) ratified the Charter of the OBSEC and became the 12th member of the organization during the chairmanship of Azerbaijan in 2004.[6]
During the presidency, the Azerbaijani state also attached special importance to simplifying trade in the Black Sea region and the development of small and medium-sized businesses. The two agreements on simplifying visa issues for businessmen and professional drivers in the region and the elimination of non-tariff barriers were discussed in various BSEC working groups to facilitate trade turnover. Azerbaijan also initiated to organize meetings of the Working Group on SMEs and seminars in order to develop small and medium-sized businesses in the region and to discuss the role of the states in this issue. Additionally, the project on improving the beekeeping in the Caucasus was established.[6]
Manual of Operations for Project Development Fund was adopted by the 10th Council held in Baku on April 30, 2004. The first PDF Application was presented at the Meeting of the Working Group on Transport organized in Baku on October 1–2, 2003 and it was confirmed by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Baku during their meeting held on April 30, 2004.[11]
During the chairmanship of Azerbaijan, PDF Steering Committee held its first and two extraordinary meetings.[6] During the period of coordinating Working Group on Energy, Azerbaijan conducted meetings of ministers of energy and transport. Baku Declarations were adopted in both of the meetings. On the other hand, in order to develop the cooperation in tourism a conference on tourism potential in Black Sea region was held in Baku on 25 September 2003, as well as organized seminars on tourism in different cities of member states. In April 2004, Meeting of Education Ministers was held in Baku with the support of the International Center for Black Sea Studies. In the end of the meeting Baku Declaration was adopted mentioning about future development of cooperation on educational and scientific spheres.[6]
Projects
Ongoing projects
BLACK SEA HORIZON (BSH) Project 2015-2018 - Science Development Foundation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.[12]
Networking on Science and Technology in the Black Sea Region project – Presidium of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (January 2009 – December 2012).[15]
The GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development is a regional organization of four post-Soviet states: Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova.
The inaugural session of the Black Sea Forum for Partnership and Dialogue (BSF) was held on June 4–6, 2006 in Bucharest. The Forum is a Romanian initiative, initially meant to hold annual presidential-level summits and thematic or sectoral-cooperation meeting during those annual intervals. The Forum is not meant to create new regional institutions, but rather to turn into a regular consultative process among countries of the extended Black Sea region and between this group of countries and international organizations such as the European Union. After the inaugural summit, no other summits were planned.
Azerbaijan–Turkey relations have always been strong with the two often being described as "one nation with two states" by the ex-president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev due to both being Turkic countries. Turkey was the first state to recognize Azerbaijan's independence in 1991 and has been a staunch supporter of Azerbaijan in its efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity and realize its economic potential arising from the rich natural resources of the Caspian Sea. The two countries share an 11-kilometer border, with the Aras River separating Turkey from the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan–Georgia relations refer to foreign relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Tbilisi. Georgia has an embassy in Baku. Both countries were former Republics of the Soviet Union and are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). The two countries are among the founding members of GUAM.
The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) is international financial institution serving its eleven member countries that are founding members of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, a regional economic organization. It supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing loans, guarantees, and equity for development projects and trade transactions. BSTDB supports both public and private enterprises in member countries and does not attach political conditionality to its financing.
In 1991 Azerbaijan recovered its independence from the Soviet Union which was recognized by Greece in December 31, 1991. Diplomatic relations established in 1992. The Greek embassy in Baku was opened in the spring of 1993. The embassy of Azerbaijan in Athens was opened in August 2004.
Azerbaijani–Swiss relations are foreign relations between Azerbaijan and Switzerland. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Bern as does Switzerland in Baku. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Azerbaijan–United Kingdom relations, are foreign relations between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom. The Embassy of Great Britain in Azerbaijan opened in 1992. The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in London opened in 1994. Both countries are members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Azerbaijan–Pakistan relations are the foreign relations between the Azerbaijan and the Pakistan. Pakistan has an embassy in Baku and Azerbaijan has an embassy in Islamabad. The two nations are considered "strategic partners". and Azerbaijan Pakistan security cooperation enhancing in all field of military to military relations and also among security agencies.
Azerbaijani-Japanese relations - bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Japan in the political, socio-economic, cultural and other fields.
The Turkic Council (Azerbaijani: Türk Şurası; Kazakh: Түркі кеңесі, Túrki Keńesi; Kyrgyz: Түрк кеңеш; Turkish: Türk Keneşi; Uzbek: Turkiy Kengash; or, in full, the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, is an international organization comprising some of the Turkic countries. It was founded on 3 October 2009 in Nakhchivan. The idea of setting up this cooperative council was first put forward by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev back in 2006.
The International Centre for Black Sea Studies is a think-tank based in Athens, Greece, committed to promoting multilateral cooperation between the countries of the Black Sea region and with their international partners.
Azerbaijan–Serbia relations refer to the foreign relations between Azerbaijan and Serbia. Serbia has an embassy in Baku. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Belgrade. Both countries are members of United Nations, Council of Europe, Partnership for Peace, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
GUAM was created to help participants to use mutual cooperation to become closer to European Union and NATO. GUAM countries were bound by a desire to prevent Russian expansionism in the region. Azerbaijan has a strategic role in the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development. Expanding the links with international organizations and individual countries is in the interest of Azerbaijan.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation is an intergovernmental organization established in 1985 with cooperation of Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. The crucial goal of this organization is to achieve sustainable economic development, promote trade, integrate to the world economy and develop efficient transport system. Azerbaijan joined the organization in 1992. From August 2012 till 2016, the Secretary General of ECO is a representative from Azerbaijan.
Ilham Aliyev is the 4th President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. His presidency began in 2003, after what he was three times elected to the post of President of the country.
Relations between Turkic Council and Azerbaijan started from the year of 2009 until present. Taking into account of the establishment date of the organization, Azerbaijan continues relations as a member of the founding country.
The TURKPA in full, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries, is an international organization comprising some of the Turkic countries. It was founded on 21 November 2008 in Istanbul. The General Secretariat is in Baku, Azerbaijan. The member countries are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. Since late 2018, Hungary is an observer.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
