Shafiyev: Some global, regional actors seek to force Caspian countries to make choices

Currently, some global and regional actors are seeking to force Caspian region countries into making choices, Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Center for Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), said at the 12th meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Think Tank Forum in Shanghai, China, Report informs.

Against the background of geopolitical confrontations and the sensitivity of international trade routes, the importance of the Caspian region is becoming more prominent, Shafiyev noted. "Over the past 30 years, Caspian region countries have tried to maintain balance in relations with important geopolitical actors, and this line will continue to remain a priority in the foreign policy of most countries in the region. It should be noted that regional countries have their own national interests, primarily fundamental interests such as independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. However, the principles of international law, especially territorial integrity and sovereignty, are being violated by global powers. This brings the current world order to a more vulnerable and fragmented state. Currently, achieving global peace and stability may seem like a distant possibility. However, countries must find ways to achieve consensus at least at the regional level."

Shafiyev highlighted that since regaining its independence, Azerbaijan has always expressed support for multilateralism and the supremacy of international law:

"For the past three decades, Azerbaijan's main focus was on restoring territorial integrity due to Armenia's occupation of Karabakh. After liberating our lands from Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan has directed its attention to strengthening foreign policy cooperation at regional and global levels. Currently, developing relations with Central Asian countries is a priority of Azerbaijan's foreign policy. There are many similarities between the South Caucasus and Central Asian regions, including language, ethnic identity, cultural and religious ties."

Touching upon relations between Azerbaijan and China, the head of the center noted that strong political ties and active dialogue have formed a solid foundation for expanding cooperation in economics, trade, transport, telecommunications, and humanitarian spheres.

"Azerbaijan is also deepening its cooperation with China within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the SCO summit reflects Azerbaijan's commitment to multilateral dialogue and cooperation on issues of regional and global importance. After obtaining dialogue partner status at the 2015 Ufa summit, Azerbaijan has taken steps to further increase its role within the organization," the chairman added.