Kyrgyz expert: Azerbaijan - important element of Turkic world

In recent years, Azerbaijan’s importance in regional and international politics has increased significantly, director of the Kyrgyz analytical center “Reasonable Decisions,” an expert on international relations Esen Usubaliev told Report.

The expert connects this growth of influence not only with a large energy potential, but also to a greater extent with the result of the rational use of Azerbaijan’s resource potential and its direction for the development of the country’s economic, socio-political and military potential.

“Naturally, Azerbaijan is now perceived as a key state of the South Caucasus, without taking into account the interests of which, the sustainable development of the region and the implementation of important economic and transport projects are impossible. In this regard, it was a matter of time when Azerbaijan began to play one of the key roles in the processes, which were launched as a result of the integration of the Turkic world,” he said.

The expert added that thus by now Azerbaijan represents an important element of the Turkic world, without the active participation of which the full implementation of projects of a common cultural, economic and political space is impossible.

“The intensification of ties among the countries of the Turkic world is an important condition for the successful integration of the OTS (Organization of Turkic States) member countries. In this regard, the visit Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Kyrgyzstan should be considered both in terms of issues of uniting the countries of the Turkic world, and in terms of strengthening the bilateral strategic dialogue between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. If you look even more broadly, then between the two regions - the South Caucasus - Central Asia,” he said.

Commenting on the Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz relations, the expert added that relations between the countries have always been friendly. “During the Soviet period, warm, friendly relations were maintained between the leaders of the two republics, Heydar Aliyev and Turdakun Usubaliev, as well as mutual support at the inter-republican level,” he noted. According to the expert, friendly and warm relations between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan is practically a historical tradition that developed back in the Soviet period.

“Now the presidents of the two countries have set a new pace and that strategic level of relations between the countries, which will be of great importance both at the bilateral and regional levels. It is expected that relations will actively develop in the investment, trade, economic and transport spheres, in particular in connection with the implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project and further with access to Europe through Azerbaijan and Turkiye,” the expert added.

He suggested that in the next 3-5 years the world will witness the active and dynamic development of relations not only between the two countries, but also the activation of Azerbaijan’s regional policy in Central Asia.