On July 31, an informal meeting of the heads of state of Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries took place in the city of Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that President Ilham Aliyev arrived at the Congress Center in Cholpon-Ata to participate in the summit. The Azerbaijani leader was welcomed by the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, alongside other regional heads of state.
The leaders of Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan participated in a joint photo session before commencing the discussions.
Addressing the summit, President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude to the Kyrgyz President for the invitation. He highlighted the significant progress in bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, noting that the two nations have elevated their cooperation to the level of an alliance. "We have signed a package of major documents that will determine the successful development of bilateral relations, with the Treaty on Allied Relations being particularly noteworthy," President Aliyev stated.
The President also emphasized the strengthening of economic ties, noting that the joint Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Development Fund has increased its capital from $100 million to $200 million. Furthermore, he highlighted the inauguration of the "Baku" hotel on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul as a symbol of growing tourism cooperation.
"Relations with Central Asian countries are one of the priorities of Azerbaijan's foreign policy," President Aliyev remarked, pointing out that he has visited the region 16 times since the beginning of 2023, while his counterparts have visited Azerbaijan 26 times. He officially welcomed his participation as a full member of the consultative format, following a historic decision made last year in Uzbekistan to include Azerbaijan in the group.
Following the speeches by other heads of state, the summit concluded with the signing of the Cholpon-Ata Declaration.
The informal summit in Cholpon-Ata serves as a key platform for deepening geopolitical and geo-economic integration between Azerbaijan and the Central Asian region. These consultative meetings, which have gained momentum in recent years, aim to foster closer political, economic, and cultural ties, transforming the region into a cohesive space for mutual development and strategic partnership.
