28 February 2023 16:46

On 28 February 2023, a meeting of the Russia-Azerbaijan Expert Council (RAEC) in the format of a conference dedicated to the topic “Russia-Azerbaijan relations in the 21st century: strategic partnership in the context of regional security” was held, attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.

The meeting, which was the third in number, was organized by the Center of Analysis of International Relations of Azerbaijan (AIR Center) and the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC).

Speaking at the event, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized that the Russia-Azerbaijan Expert Council (RAEC) has, within a short period of time, become a platform for continuous cooperation between the experts of the two countries. In this regard, it was noted that the existence of constant exchange of views and dialogue among experts will be useful for those specializing in the field of diplomacy.

The Minister spoke about the current dynamics of Azerbaijan-Russia relations, high-level dialogue, including joint cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, and stated that the Expert Council plays the role of a practical platform for the further development of cooperation between our experts.

At the event, it was recalled with satisfaction that the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries was widely celebrated last year both within the framework of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Russia-Azerbaijan Expert Council (RAEC). In this regard, it was emphasized that over the past period, relations between the two states have transformed into a strategic partnership, that this is the logical result of bilateral cooperation consistently built over many years, and that it is based on the solid foundation of high-level trust between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia.

At the event, speaking about Azerbaijan’s pursuit of a sovereign foreign policy strategy arising from national interests, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized that such a stable, predictable and, most importantly, sovereign policy has turned our country into a valuable partner for the international community, including Russia.

It was noted that the positions of the two countries on the consistent strengthening of the peace agenda in the South Caucasus, the neutralization of attempts at revanchism and unhealthy competition are similar in a number of cases.

It was stated that Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day war, the actual implementation by Azerbaijan of the resolutions of the UN Security Council, as well as proposals discussed for many years, including on the Russian negotiation platform, opened new opportunities for these purposes.

At the event, confidence was expressed that the signing of the Declaration on Allied Interaction by the heads of state of the two countries last year gave new impetus to joint efforts.

At the event, commitment was also expressed to the Trilateral Statements signed in 2020 and 2021, and they were assessed as an important foundation for the post-conflict development of Azerbaijan and the entire South Caucasus region.

Then, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, who delivered a speech, spoke about the importance of strategic relations between our countries.

At the conference, reports by Chairman of the AIR Center Farid Shafiyev and Director General of the RIAC Andrey Kortunov on the activities of the RAEC were heard. Discussions held within the framework of the closed sessions of the conference, which took place in an atmosphere of interactive dialogue, covered political, economic, and humanitarian and other areas of Russia-Azerbaijan cooperation.

The Council members also adopted a communiqué reflecting the Council’s practical recommendations on various aspects of deepening relations between the two countries. It was considered expedient to present the RAEC recommendations on relevant platforms of bilateral cooperation, publish joint thematic collections, and hold meetings of the Council regularly.

During the conference, commemorative copies of the RAEC’s first publication — the collection of articles “30 Years of Diplomatic Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan: the Path Passed and a Look into the Future,” authored by Russian and Azerbaijani experts — were presented to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs.