31 March 2023 15:03

On 30 March 2023, the next political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic were held in Baku.

At the consultations, the delegations were headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khalaf Khalafov on the Azerbaijani side, and Director General for European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Kurfürst on the other side.

During the political consultations, the current state and future prospects of bilateral and multilateral relations between our countries, including political, economic, trade, humanitarian and consular issues, as well as cooperation within the framework of international organizations, were discussed.

During the discussions, Deputy Minister Kh. Khalafov noted that 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and stated that over these years, effective cooperation relations based on mutual respect and trust between our countries have risen to the level of strategic partnership, that high-level political dialogue, exchanges of official visits, as well as interparliamentary cooperation have played an important role in this process, and that there is broad potential for the further development of relations. He provided information on transport and communication projects implemented in the region at the initiative and with the participation of Azerbaijan and emphasized that there are broad opportunities for cooperation in these directions.

Kh. Khalafov provided the other side with detailed information about the new realities that emerged in the region in the post-conflict period and the restoration and reconstruction works carried out in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. Informing the other side about Azerbaijan’s initiatives towards the normalization of relations with Armenia, the advancement of the peace agenda, the delimitation of the state border, and the opening of communications, he also underscored that the provocations committed by Armenia, especially the failure to fulfill obligations arising from the Trilateral Statement, pose a threat to peace and stability in the region.

J. Kurfürst expressed satisfaction with the current level of bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic and stated that, arising from the relevant Joint Declaration signed in 2015, relations have reached the level of strategic partnership. He emphasized that the Czech Republic has always supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and that the establishment of lasting peace and stability in the region is important. He stated that the meeting of the Azerbaijan-Czech Republic Intergovernmental Commission held in Prague on 3 March of the current year was productive and contributed to the development of cooperation in the economic field between the two countries.

During the meeting, the sides also conducted an exchange of views on other regional and international security issues of mutual interest.