The strategy and tactics of Rahmon's visit

This is evidenced by the signed 12 interstate agreements, many of which bear the status of intentions, including investments in Tajikistan, deliveries of petroleum coke, alumina from Azerbaijan, and transit of Tajik aluminum to Europe.

Early in November 2017, during the negotiations held in Baku, agreements on cooperation between TALCO's aluminum companies were signed. During the talks in Baku with the Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev, the head of the Azerbaijan Railways Javid Gurbanov, the head of the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company Rauf Veliyev, the general director of the aluminum plant DET-Al Sarkhan Babayev and the vice-president of the SOCAR oil and gas company Davud Mammadov, the parties discussed the current state of interaction, and also found new areas of cooperation. Thus, representatives of the aluminum company TALCO signed an agreement with DET-Al on the supply of oil coke to Tajikistan. Since December 2017, Azerbaijan has pledged to send 3-7 thousand tons of coke for TALCO needs, and Tajikistan undertook to supply Azerbaijani enterprises with the supply of anodes, cryolite, fluorite and secondary aluminum.

It was also agreed to restart on tolling basis (processing of foreign raw materials with subsequent export of finished products) of the idle Azerbaijani Ganja alumina plant, attracting international investments from TALCO in 2018 and subsequent deliveries of alumina for mutually beneficial aluminum production in Tajikistan.

Activity in this direction was still noted in 2007, when President Ilham Aliyev first visited Tajikistan on 15-16 March, and soon, on 13-14 August, a return visit was made by Emomali Rahmon.

Even then, the parties tried to draw out the outlines (prospects) of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Tajikistan on the basis of an effective coincidence of the resource characteristics of each country. Azerbaijan constantly increases the flow of petrodollars, in addition, the communication and pipeline opportunities in the direction of the East-West are intensively expanded, and there are also great experience and human resource potential in the development of natural resources. Tajikistan has significant hydro resources, and potentially energy resources, in addition, it has large reserves of non-ferrous metals. But the country is still vulnerable from the point of view of energy security and badly needs to strengthen it. Gradually, an almost "perfect coincidence of the necessary resource conditions" was found for the use of all possible mutually beneficial economic projects using the formula (not barter but complementary) of Azerbaijan's investments and the resources of Tajikistan.

However, with all attempts, including Rahmon's last visit to Azerbaijan on July 11-13, 2012, the implementation of interests has not been properly developed. Turnover for 2017 amounted to $ 2 million, somewhat revived in this first half - $ 2.4 million.

In this bilateral dialogue, however, the main investment potential is at the disposal of Azerbaijan. It can be expected that in the future Aliyev will make a decision on investments in the economy of Tajikistan, which were mentioned earlier, and which could not be implemented due to the economic crisis of 2015. Recently, the rise in oil prices contributes to the growth of Azerbaijan's investment potential and under current conditions with the tempting proposals of Rahmon, President Aliyev can make a decision on investment expansion. In favor of this, Aliyev said that in the near future a concrete mission will be sent to Tajikistan to study investment issues, including those related to the development of agriculture and tourism.

Close external reference points

Tajikistan and Azerbaijan are bringing together the policy of maximum implementation of an independent foreign policy and independence from centers of influence. Both countries permanently consider Russia's invitation to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and also look back at the invitation of the West to enter the European orbit.

Baku and Dushanbe, at all top meetings, do not miss the opportunity to support the principle of territorial integrity not only of the two countries, but of the regional neighbors of the former Union. This line was expressed during the current visit, when Rahmon said that the solution of the Karabakh and other South Caucasian conflicts is indispensable within the territorial integrity of states.

"We express our firm commitment to the principles of peaceful solution of existing contradictions and conflicts within the framework of universally recognized international norms and criteria." We believe that the political and diplomatic dialogue is the most constructive way to resolve such a complex problem, which is Nagorno-Karabakh, "he said.

In its turn, Azerbaijan supported the resolution on water sustainable development of the International High-Level Conference on the International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028", which was held in June this year in Dushanbe. The water problem is one of the most acute in Central Asia and almost the main destabilizing factor of the region.

Another field of interest was the visit by the security sphere: combating international terrorism, extremism, radical religious ideology, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and other challenges and threats. The presidents announced this openly and not only in the framework of tete-a-tete.