Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on special assignments Elchin Amirbayov gave an interview to CNN Prima News during his working visit to the Czech Republic, APA reports.
During the interview, an extensive exchange of views took place on the current state and prospects of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic.
Elchin Amirbayov noted that relations between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic are built on friendship, mutual respect, and shared interests, emphasizing that the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed between the two countries in 2015 plays an important role in the development of these relations. He stated that there is potential to expand bilateral cooperation not only in the energy sector but also in defense, industry, agriculture, tourism, and other areas.
Touching upon Azerbaijan’s geostrategic position, Amirbayov emphasized that the country plays an important bridging role between the South Caucasus and Central Asia, describing Azerbaijan as a reliable gateway to Central Asia for all European countries, including the Czech Republic.
Amirbayov noted that high-level political dialogue between the two countries is developing positively, highlighting the meeting between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babiš held on the sidelines of the Davos Economic Forum earlier this year as an important step. He expressed hope that high-level mutual visits and contacts will intensify in the near future.
The interview also focused on cooperation in the energy sector. Amirbayov stated that Azerbaijan has long been a reliable strategic partner contributing to Europe’s energy security and noted that the Czech Republic is one of the main partners importing crude oil from Azerbaijan. It was reported that Azerbaijan’s natural gas export geography is expanding, and the country currently exports gas to 16 countries, including 10 EU member states. At the same time, the need for additional investments and increased capacity of existing infrastructure, including the Southern Gas Corridor, was emphasized in order to further expand cooperation in this direction.
In addition, Amirbayov informed the counterpart about Azerbaijan’s renewable energy sources and regional green energy projects, noting broad opportunities for deepening cooperation with European countries, including the Czech Republic, in the transmission of clean electricity.
Amirbayov stated that Azerbaijan acts as a reliable and responsible partner in the global energy market and emphasized that the country should be viewed not as a short-term supplier based on crises, but as a long-term, stable, and predictable partner.
Regional and international issues were also discussed during the interview. Amirbayov stated that Azerbaijan pursues an independent, pragmatic, and multi-vector foreign policy based on mutual respect and national interests in relations with all countries, including neighboring states.
Answering a question about Azerbaijan–US relations, Amirbayov noted that these ties have recently reached a new stage in terms of quality and content. He emphasized that the signing of the Strategic Partnership Charter between the two countries has given a significant boost to bilateral cooperation. He also highly appreciated the US support for advancing the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and its important role in restoring transport and communication links between Azerbaijan’s western regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Within the interview, Amirbayov also answered a question regarding the normalization process of Azerbaijan–Armenia relations, speaking about the agreements reached and the work carried out to ensure sustainable peace. He noted that the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia and the planned referendum on adopting a new constitution will play an important role in signing a peace agreement between the two countries and ensuring long-term and irreversible peace in the region.
