The President of Kazakhstan, Mr. Qasim-Jumart Tokayev, visited Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on August 24, 2022. This visit is extremely remarkable as it took place shortly after Mr. Tokayev’s meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of his visit to Sochi on August 19, 2022. This is highly significant in terms of demonstrating the constructive role that Mr. Tokayev has undertaken within the regional cooperation processes.
It can be stated that the main substance of the agenda of Mr. Tokayev’s visit to Azerbaijan is the Middle Corridor centered projects over cooperation. As it is known, the Middle Corridor is the name of the energy and transit transportation route that starts from China, passes through Central Asia, reaches the Caucasus via the Caspian Sea, and then opens to Europe via Turkey. The significance of this route is related to the fact that it obtains a much lower cost and is much safer compared to the projects considered to be equivalent. Therefore, the Middle Corridor is the key route in connecting Asia and Europe, or in other words, in East-West axis cooperation. Mr. Tokayev’s visit to Baku once again revealed the importance of the Middle Corridor.
As will be remembered, on August 18, 2022, Kazakhstan’s Chairman of the Board of KazMunayGas, Mr. Magzum Mirzagaliyev and SOCAR’s Chairman Mr. Rovshan Najaf met in Baku and elaborated on ways to develop bilateral cooperation in Caspian-based infrastructure projects.[1] In fact, it is possible to characterize Mr. Mirzagaliyev’s meeting with Mr. Najaf as a preliminary preparation for Mr. Tokayev’s visit to Baku. Because, on the agenda of Mr. Tokayev, cooperation processes centered on the Caspian Sea, which is the most important connection point of the Middle Corridor, possessed a great place.
During the visit, a bilateral meeting was held between the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Aliyev and Mr. Tokayev. According to the Presidential Press Service of Azerbaijan, Mr. Aliyev stated the following at the meeting:[2]
“Mr. President, welcome to Azerbaijan. I am so glad to see you. I am sure that your visit will be very successful and friendly, the fraternal relations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan will reach to a new level.”
These words, which reflect the search for strong cooperation between the two brotherly countries of the TurkishWorld, are extremely important as they define that the relations between the parties will be relocated to a new level. This new level, on the other hand, indicates the relations are to be deepened through the Middle Corridor. However, the scope of relations within Nur-Sultan and Baku is not limited to this point. Because the parties came up with three more issues upon the occasion of Tokayev’s visit. These can be listed as follows:
- Developing economic-commercial relations shaped by the win-win strategy, in a way that gives priority to mutual interests,
- Strengthening ties of brotherhood by increasing cultural interaction,
- Maintaining and strengthening the common stance before international organizations, which can evolve into a “Strategic Partnership.”
To address these, the desire to develop economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan should be mentioned primarily. As a matter of fact, during the visit of Mr. Tokayev, Baku hosted the first meeting of the Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Business Council. Since it was the first meeting, it can be stated that Baku witnessed a historical moment. A large number of documents were signed at the meeting and the will to develop economic relations was concretely demonstrated. As a matter of fact, in his speech during the meeting, Kazakhstan Chamber of Foreign Trade Chairman of the Board Ayan Erenov claimed that the commercial and economic relations between the two countries should be developed and that there happens to be a great potential before them. In addition, Erenov stated that his greatest hopes are in the fields of logistics, energy and construction.[3] The fact that Erenov includes logistics and energy cooperation in the fields he defines as “the greatest hope” happens to be no such thing but a reference to the Middle Corridor.
During the visit of Mr. Tokayev, efforts to develop cultural interaction in the means of strengthening the bond of brotherhood between the two countries also came into prominence. As a matter of fact, among the documents signed at the Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Business Council Meeting, there is an agreement that allows the cities of Shusha, the cultural capital of the Turkish World, and Turkestan, the spiritual capital of the Turkish World, to be accepted as sister cities.[4]
In fact, looking at the characteristics of these cities, it must be emphasized that it would be incomplete to say that only the development of the brotherhood law was aimed between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The fact that the city of Shusha in Azerbaijan and the city of Turkestan in Kazakhstan became brother cities is perhaps one of the most meaningful moves of the efforts to build a strong Turkic World. Therefore, Mr. Tokayev’s visit to Baku is profoundly valuable in terms of both strengthening the integration processes of the Turkic World and presenting the importance of the Middle Corridor, which is the joint project of the Turkic World, to the whole world.
On the other hand, another development that reflects the brotherhood law between Nur-Sultan and Baku is the announcement that Kazakhstan will establish a “Creative Development Center” for children in Karabakh, upon the occasion of this visit.[5] It is understood that this center, which will provide education to 600 students, will basically serve as a technology school.[6] This reflects the significance that the Turkish World attaches to scientific developments in accordance with the requirements of our age. At this point, the choice of Karabakh for the mentioned center in question displays the sensitivity of Kazakhstan upon the Karabakh issue, which the Turkish World is also sensitive towards.
On the occasion of this visit, a decision was taken that could be foreseen as to bring the relations between the two countries to a level of strategic partnership. This means that the parties continue to support each other within international organizations and create an environment that will perform their stance in a much powerful manner. As a matter of fact, in his statement on the subject, Mr. Aliyev said, “Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are actively cooperating within the framework of international organizations.”[7] In addition, Mr. Aliyev stated that he believes this will proceed in the future.[8]
As a result, Mr. Tokayev’s visit to Baku and his meeting with Mr. Aliyev in this context can be interpreted as the embracing of two brotherly countries. These two states, which share a common culture based on thousands of years of ancient past, pursue their search for a common future. In this context, these relations, which are shaped by respect for each other’s sovereignty, independence, unitary structures, territorial integrity and are based upon cooperation-based mutual interests, once again clearly demonstrate the strong cooperation that exists within the powerful Turkish World.
[1] “KazMunayGas Chairman Meets with Azerbaijan’s SOCAR President, Visits Batumi Oil Terminal”, Astana Times, https://astanatimes.com/2022/08/kazmunaygas-chairman-meets-with-azerbaijans-socar-president-visits-batumi-oil-terminal/, (Date of Accession: 25.08.2022).
[2] “Состоялась встреча Ильхама Алиева и Касым-Жомарта Токаева один на один”, Vesti, https://vesti.az/politika/sostoyalas-vstreca-ilxama-alieva-i-kasym-zomarta-tokaeva-odin-na-odin-470437, (Date of Accession: 25.08.2022).
[3] “В Азербайджане прошло I заседание Казахстанско-азербайджанского делового совета: подписан ряд документов”, Vesti, https://vesti.az/ekonomika/v-azerbaidzane-proslo-i-zasedanie-kazaxstansko-azerbaidzanskogo-delovogo-soveta-podpisan-ryad-dokumentov-470460, (Date of Accession: 25.08.2022).
[4] “В Азербайджане прошло I заседание Казахстанско-азербайджанского делового совета: подписан ряд документов”, Vesti, https://vesti.az/ekonomika/v-azerbaidzane-proslo-i-zasedanie-kazaxstansko-azerbaidzanskogo-delovogo-soveta-podpisan-ryad-dokumentov-470460, (Date of Accession: 25.08.2022).
[5] “Казахстан построит в Карабахе Центр творческого развития для детей”, Interfax, http://interfax.az/view/874777, (Date of Accession: 25.08.2022).
[6] Ibid.
[7] “Ильхам Алиев: Азербайджан и Казахстан продолжат поддерживать друг друга в рамках международных организаций”, Vesti, https://vesti.az/politika/ilxam-aliev-azerbaidzan-i-kazaxstan-prodolzat-podderzivat-drug-druga-v-ramkax-mezdunarodnyx-organizacii-470467, (Date of Accession: 25.08.2022).
[8] Ibid.
