An expert discussion on “Azerbaijan’s Middle Power Status: Geopolitical Opportunities in Central Asia and the SCO” was held on September 2 at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, organized by the Baku Political Scientists Club, APA reports.
During the discussions, it was noted that the past month has been of particular importance in terms of the intensity of President Ilham Aliyev’s foreign policy agenda. The Azerbaijani leader’s successive contacts with the heads of Central Asian states, state and working visits, and participation in multilateral formats demonstrate that Azerbaijan has become one of the key participants in political, economic and transport ties between the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
Particular attention at the event was paid to the results of President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to Kyrgyzstan on July 31.
The results of President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to Uzbekistan on August 23–24 were also extensively analyzed in the speeches.
The experts emphasized that Azerbaijan’s relations with Central Asia have already moved beyond a collection of individual bilateral ties and have taken on the character of a more systematic regional policy. The formalization of allied relations with Kyrgyzstan, the deepening of political and economic partnership with Uzbekistan, and the gathering of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Central Asia in common formats were cited as important elements of this process.
Another focus of the discussions was President Ilham Aliyev’s working visit to Bishkek on August 31–September 1 and his participation in the events of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The experts stated that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is important for Azerbaijan not only in terms of the organization’s own goals and areas of activity, but also as a political platform for representing and expressing national interests across a broad geography.
According to the experts, this process can be regarded as one of the key indicators of Azerbaijan’s “middle power” status. The expansion of Azerbaijan’s ability to influence regional processes, its establishment of parallel and pragmatic relations with various centers of power, the deepening of strategic and allied ties with Central Asian countries, its growing role in the Turkic world, and its increased activity on broader Eurasian platforms such as the SCO significantly enhance Baku’s diplomatic room for maneuver.
A total of 33 people participated in the discussions.
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