Ukraine and Azerbaijan deepen strategic partnership

Baku/15.01.22/Turan: Following the talks between the Presidents of Ukraine and Azerbaijan,a joint declaration on deepening strategic partnership was signed in Kiev on January 14.

The document reaffirms the readiness of the parties to deepen strategic partnership, in particular through the implementation of specific projects in spheres of mutual interest. Also, the document aims to ensure peace and stability in the Black Sea-Caspian Sea region and beyond it.

"We have signed a joint declaration of the Presidents of Ukraine and Azerbaijan. It enshrines the parties' readiness to mutually support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our states within the internationally recognized borders, joint opposition to hybrid threats, the desire to ensure peace and stability in the Black Sea-Caspian Sea region and beyond it", - said Vladimir Zelensky during a meeting with media representatives on the results of Ukrainian-Azerbaijani negotiations.

According to the head of the Ukrainian state, the positions as stated in the document testify to the unity and closeness of Ukrainian and Azerbaijani views regarding many issues and challenges of regional and global dimensions.

Thus, the Joint Declaration provides for mutual support of sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries within their internationally recognized borders; intensification of bilateral cooperation in political, trade-economic, fuel and energy, military-technical, infrastructure, transport, aircraft building, agricultural, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres, as well as in security sphere. Besides, the readiness for intensification of cooperation in counteracting hybrid threats is defined; the point is about further strengthening of cooperation in defense industry by completing current and developing new joint projects; there is a direct mention of intentions to deepen cooperation within international and regional organizations and forums, in particular the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, GUAM, and BSEC.

Touching upon economic agreements, it'd be appropriate to mention the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine and the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan. It provides for the expansion of cooperation in the energy sphere and joint projects at the Ukrainian oil and gas market, in particular oil supply and transportation, transportation of oil products, exploration and production of hydrocarbons, construction of new oil refining capacities in Ukraine and reconstruction of existing capacities, supply of natural gas to Ukraine, its storage in underground reservoirs. -02В-