Azerbaijan–Romania relations

Romania-Azerbaijan relations

Romania
Azerbaijan

Romania-Azerbaijan relations are foreign relations between Azerbaijan and Romania. The countries have established embassies in their respective capitals. The Azeri president visited Romania in October 2004 and the two nations have signed over fifty separate agreements to date.[1]

History

Stamps of Azerbaijan, 2014

Romania officially recognized Azerbaijan’s independence on December 11, 1991. The two countries established diplomatic relations on June 19, 1992. While the two share mutual areas in multiple areas, the main focus has been on trade and energy links,[2] with trade delegations and frequent talks regarding the further development of such ties and an increase in bilateral trade since trade originating from Azerbaijan approximately five times the quantity ($161 million) of those from Romania ($31.83 million).[3][4]

As an existing member, Romania has been a strong advocate of Azerbaijan's future membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), pointing out the strategic importance of the country for trade and shipping, particularly with a view towards Afghanistan.[5]

Agreements

In 2000, Azerbaijan and Romania signed an agreement on bilateral defence cooperation,[6] followed by a similar agreement on information sharing in 2004.[7] In December 2007, a Romanian energy delegation visited Azerbaijan. The two parties discussed a gas pipeline and emphasised the importance of the two nations' cooperation in order to provide "energy security in Europe".[8][9]

State visit

In 2004, the Azeri president made a two-day state visit to Romania, during which time, the two leaders held private meetings on a range of issues, including, inter alia, the relationship between the two countries and opportunities for cooperation on counter- terrorism. Eleven separate were signed as a result of these meetings.[10] Also during this visit, the president officially opened a new embassy building, emphasising the role of the embassy in the continuation and development of relations between the nations.[11]

See also

References

External links