On Wednesday April 5, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, who arrived in Dushanbe yesterday on a short state visit.  According to the Tajik president’s official website, the parties discussed issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between their countries. 

Specific guidelines were reportedly identified for the upcoming work to deepen and expand Tajik-Azerbaijani relations based on a solid foundation of friendship, mutual understanding, mutual respect and trust.

The Tajik president’s official website says Rahmon noted with satisfaction the high dynamics of regular political contacts, which play a key role in shaping and fruitfully promoting the agenda of the Tajik-Azerbaijani bilateral relations.  Confidence was expressed that the state visit of the head of the friendly country to Tajikistan would give a new impetus to the development of the entire complex of cooperation between the two countries.

Tajik leader reportedly also noted that over the thirty years of diplomatic relations, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan have been able to build effective mechanisms for interaction and have achieved significant results that today serve the benefit of the two fraternal peoples.

The parties also exchanged a number of regional and international issues being of mutual interest.  

According to Azerbaijani president’s press service, Ilham Aliyev noted that relations between the two countries are based on good history. 

“We cooperate in many areas both on an international arena, within international institutions, and of course, in a bilateral format. There are very good prospects for deepening cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, industry and transport,” the Azerbaijani president said.  

Diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan were established on May 29, 1992 by the exchange of notes on the establishment of diplomatic relations.  Azerbaijan’s Embassy has functioned in Dushanbe since September 22, 2007 and the Embassy of Tajikistan has functioned in Baku since March 23, 2008.   

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, relations between Tajikistan with Azerbaijan have been developing in the spirit of mutual respect. Tajikistan and Azerbaijan are partners at the international level in the framework of such organizations such UN, OSCE and CIS.

Currently Tajik-Azerbaijani legal foundation includes more than 30 agreements and treaties, including the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Azerbaijan dated March 16, 2007.