Official Visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev to the Republic of Uzbekistan - (June 18-19, 1997)


The relations with Uzbekistan occupy a special place in the foreign policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan  in comparison with other Central Asian countries. President of the Republic of  Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev paid an official visit to Dashkend at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan  for strengthening and improving these relations.

On the 18th of June the Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev met President of Uzbekistan Islam Kerimov. At the meeting the Azerbaijani President stated that the reciprocal relations in all the fields  and reliable partnership are very important both for Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.  

At the meeting of the two presidents discussed the issues, which interested both sides they held discussions on different aspects of joint cooperation.

During the visit on the 18th of June interstate and intergovernmental documents were signed between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The agreement on strenghening friendship and partnership, and on the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan is the most important one. These documents created a strong  base for the further succesfull cooperation.  The agreement was reached on the formation of an intergovernmental comission for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.  The Azerbaijani President stated in the signature ceremony: “We want to have reliable relations of partnership with Uzbekistan and we shall do our best to improve these relations.”

The Uzbek President Islam Karimov mentioned that the relations between the two countries would be of a strategical in character. While talking about the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict over Nagorno Karabakh he mentioned: “in connection with the issues of security of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, libeation of the occupied territories, return of the refugees and guarantee for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,  the position of Azerbaijan is positive, fair, and even right. Because of its position Azerbaijan is supported by  a lot of partners from the internatinal communities. That is why, we are happy that the position of Azerbaijan is recognized. Strong authority and reliability of Azerbaijan on this issue is a natural process. We consider that to have two Armenian states in the Caucausus is a fiction and we apreciated this statement made by Azerbaijan. From this point of view we support the peaceful and political resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.”

On the 19th of June a diploma of honorary doctor of Dashkend University was presented to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. In the ceremony he stated confidently that the relations between Dashkend and Baku universities, between the scientists of the two countries would  strenghen the friendship and brotherhood of the two nations.

On the same day Heydar Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the embassy of Azerbaijan to Dashkend- it was the first embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Central Asia-, and stated there that this embassy would be an embassy both for Azerbaijani and Uzbekistan, and would fulfill its functions for strenghing and developing of the relations. The President expressed his hope for opening an Uzbek embassy in Azerbaijan.

In the opening ceremony the President met the represantatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Uzbekistan, asked questions about their living conditions and emphasized their duty for delivering the realities of Azerbaijan to Uzbek society.