Question 1: A meeting between Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China was held today in Astana in the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. This meeting was highlighted by the signing of a number of high-level documents between the two countries. In general, what would you say about the outcomes of the meeting?

Answer: In recent years, traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and China have grown dynamically. Sincere friendship and cooperation between the leaders of Azerbaijan and China gave a significant boost to the development of our interstate relations, and this meeting once again demonstrated that Azerbaijani- Chinese political relations are at the highest level in their history.

China has continuously supported Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and Azerbaijan has stood by the “One China” policy.

During the meeting, the Heads of State of Azerbaijan and China decided to elevate relations between our countries to a qualitatively new level of strategic partnership, based on the principles of mutual respect, equality, trust, mutual support, mutual benefit, and cooperation, and made a Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership.

Furthermore, the signed “Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the development of Trans-Caspian International Transport Routes for the China-Europe Railway Express,” as well as the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China on the joint acceleration of the formation of a cooperation plan for the Belt and Road Initiative” are evidence of the rising development of relations between the two countries.

It is also undoubtedly that the two countries' leaders' invitations to pay reciprocal state visits to Azerbaijan and China will further contribute to the development of relations.

We are confident that the Azerbaijani-Chinese strategic partnership will bring new dynamics both on a bilateral basis and within regional and international organizations to increase contacts, intensify exchanges, and thus comprehensively deepen our cooperation. At the same time, our strategic partnership will accelerate our cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, transport, investments, and many other areas to reach a new level both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Question 2: A trilateral meeting between Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, and Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was held in Astana. How would you assess this meeting?

Answer: Azerbaijan’s bilateral relations with both Türkiye and Pakistan are based on brotherhood, historical and cultural ties, mutual respect, and trust among our peoples. Our interstate relations based on such firm foundations are characterized by constant and comprehensive development, close cooperation in various fields, international-level joint actions, and support on issues of mutual interest.

So far, a number of trilateral meetings, events, and exercises have taken place at the level of the speakers of Parliaments, Foreign Ministers, and Defense Ministries of the three countries, agreements on substantial issues have been reached, as well as the level of cooperation has expanded. It should be especially emphasized that these exemplary trilateral cooperation platforms are guided by norms and principles of international law and exclusively seek to promote peace, security, stability, and progress.

This meeting held at the level of leaders in Astana will give impetus to promote relations between the three countries to a new level, strengthen and frequently organize the trilateral cooperation platform under the guidance of the leaders, and broaden strategic partnership relations of Azerbaijan-Pakistan-Türkiye in new directions.

Question 3: A meeting between Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation took place within the framework of the SCO Summit in Astana. We would like to be informed about the outcomes of this meeting.

Answer: As is well known, Azerbaijan and Russia have comprehensive and equal cooperation relations built on mutual respect and confidence. Cooperation between the two countries has grown in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian, and educational fields, among many others.

Our countries build their relations based on allied interaction, mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders of the two countries, as well as non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, adherence to the principles of equality of rights, and mutual benefit.

The leaders of the two countries meet regularly and pay reciprocal visits. President Ilham Aliyev last time paid a visit to Russia on 22 April and had important meetings. The Astana meeting was also noteworthy for discussing bilateral cooperation, issues of implementation of agreements reached, and future goals.  The Heads of State additionally went over the future of cooperation in the SCO and other international platforms, as well as discussed ongoing international and regional challenges.

Question 4: The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the SCO Summit in Astana as an honorary guest at the invitation of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, and held a bilateral meeting with him. What would you say about this visit and meeting?

Answer: Azerbaijan attaches great importance to relations with Central Asia. Brotherhood bonds and historical ties between our countries, as well as geopolitical dynamics occurring in the region and around the world, make it necessary to further deepen joint cooperation among our brotherly countries.

President Ilham Aliyev’s regular visits to Central Asia, as well as the visits of the Heads of these States to Azerbaijan are factors contributing to the growth and determination of strategic character of our relations. Documents, agreements, and joint projects agreed upon during the mutual visits shape the prospects of relations between our countries. In this regard, we would like to emphasize that during the visit of the President of Kazakhstan to our country in March of this year, the agreement to establish an investment fund between the two countries was concluded and an agreement on the establishment of a fund worth USD 300 million was signed during the Astana meeting.

At the same time, the leaders of the two countries remain centered on the deepening of cooperation within international organizations, particularly within the Organization of Turkic states, as well as the prospects for broad partnership within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). Therefore, the Astana meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan will provide an additional impetus to broad cooperation between the two countries.

At the same time, the participation of President of Azerbaijan as an honorary guest at the SCO Summit for the second time is an indicator of high esteem and confidence in Azerbaijan and our President. Azerbaijan and the majority of SCO member states are linked by close relations of friendship, brotherhood and strategic partnership.

Given Azerbaijan’s important role in integration processes in our region and broader geography, as well as its close involvement in the work of the SCO, we are confident that these meetings and events will provide additional impetus to the process of obtaining an observer status in the Organization.