During a state visit to Uzbekistan, President Ilham Aliyev and the leadership of Uzbekistan have signed the "Treaty on Eternal Friendship between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan." This landmark agreement marks a significant milestone in bilateral relations, formalizing a strategic alliance between the two Turkic-speaking nations.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the treaty emphasizes that both states, guided by universally recognized principles and norms of international law, base their relations on eternal friendship, mutual trust, strategic partnership, and alliance. Both nations have committed to supporting each other in choosing development paths and models that align with their respective national realities.
A core component of the agreement involves mutual security guarantees. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have pledged not to participate in any blocs or alliances that could harm the sovereignty, security, or territorial integrity of the other party. Furthermore, they have committed to preventing the use of their territories by third countries to undermine the security of the partner nation, and to prohibiting the establishment or operation of organizations that threaten the other's territorial integrity.
The treaty outlines comprehensive cooperation across several key sectors:
- International Cooperation: Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the central role of the United Nations in conflict prevention and global security.
- Parliamentary and Legal Ties: The parties agreed to expand inter-parliamentary relations and strengthen legal cooperation to foster deeper social and public ties between their peoples.
- Economic and Technological Development: The agreement promotes trade, investment, and joint projects in energy, transport, logistics, digital development, agriculture, the "green" economy, e-commerce, and space technologies.
- Transport and Transit: Both countries will create favorable conditions for the efficient transport of goods and passengers, aiming to enhance the transit potential of regional transport corridors.
- Cultural and Educational Exchange: The treaty supports the preservation of cultural and educational proximity, encouraging cooperation in science, medicine, tourism, and sports, as well as the mutual teaching of the Azerbaijani and Uzbek languages.
- Regional Cooperation: The agreement encourages the development of direct partnerships between cities and regions of both countries.
This treaty represents a deepening of the "brotherly" relations that have historically characterized Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan ties. By institutionalizing these commitments, Baku and Tashkent are signaling a long-term strategic pivot toward closer integration, which is expected to boost regional stability and economic connectivity across Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
