Azerbaijan–Ukraine relations

Azerbaijani–Ukrainian relations

Azerbaijan
Ukraine

After the dissolution of Soviet Union Azerbaijan and Ukraine gained their independence from the Soviet Union and started a close friendship[1] with establishing diplomatic relations in 1992. The relations of strategic cooperation, political, economical and cultural relations between two countries are at a very high level.[2] In 2001, the two countries founded the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM), along with Georgia and Moldova. Azerbaijan currently plays an important role in both organization and the foreign policy of Ukraine due to its strategic role in the region.[3] Azerbaijan also helped Ukraine to shelter Chernobyl sarcophagus.

Ukraine is, after Turkey, one of the main military partners of Azerbaijan. Azeri officers are trained in Ukrainian military academies, and various technical assistance is supplied by Ukraine.[4] Ukraine supports Azerbaijan's position in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict against to Armenia.[5] After Black January events, some 10,000 people attended a rally in Lviv to protest Moscow's military intervention in Azerbaijan.[6] There are about 32.000 Ukrainians that live in Azerbaijan, and over 45,000 Azerbaijanis live in Ukraine.[7] The grave of Ukrainian Ataman Golovati still is protected by Azerbaijanis and there's also monument in Lankaran dedicated to Cossacks.[8] The two countries support each other in entering international organizations.[9] Diplomatic relations established in 1919 for the first time and Azerbaijan recognizes Holodomor events as a genocide.[10][11]

Political relations

Relations between two countries are very friendly.[12] Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Kiev. Ukraine has an embassy in Baku. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Eastern Partnership, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) as well as GUAM.

Heydar Aliyev, Leonid Kuchma and Vladimir Putin

President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma paid an official visit to Azerbaijan on July 26–28, 1995. Together with Heydar Aliyev and Aliyev paid his official visit to Ukraine on March 24–25, 1997. During the meeting Heydar Aliyev was awarded with the highest order of Ukraine Yaroslav Mudry.[13] After the establishment of GUAM strategic relations started to develop rapidly. Heydar Aliyev visited Ukraine in 1999 in order to take part at the inauguration ceremony of the re-elected Leonid Kuchma. The Ukrainian President paid an official visit to Azerbaijan on March 16–17, 2000. As a result of the visit, Aliyev presented Leonid Kuchma the order of Istiglal. Strategic alliance between two countries are developing.

Economic relations

In January – May 2008 trade turnover between the two countries was 191,1 mln. USD. The trade turnover between two countries reached to 1 billion 400 million dollars in 2010. Ukraine is one of the main import partners of Azerbaijan.[14] Main goods imported from Ukraine to Azerbaijan remains as mainly metallurgy products, machine building products, agro-industrial products, and chemical industry products. While main goods exported from Azerbaijan to Ukraine are generally Products of fuel energy industry, chemical industry products, and agro-industrial products.

Azerbaijan grants Ukraine exclusive conditions for oil supply.[1]

Military cooperation

In 2006, Ukraine had sold 48 T-72AG to Azerbaijan. In 2009, Ukraine supplied to Azerbaijan, 29 BTR-70, 29 units of 122-millimeter self-propelled howitzers 2C1 Pink and 6 units of 152-millimeter self-propelled howitzers 2S3 Acacia a combat trainer MiG-29UB, 11 Mi-24.[15] In 2010, Ukraine has been sold to Azerbaijan a 71 BTR-70, 7 self-propelled artillery "Carnation" 2S1 122 mm, 1 Mi-24P, a managed anti-missile complex, and 3,000 rifles and pistols. Ukraine remains as one of the main military partners of Azerbaijan.

Cultural relations

Since 1998, Ukrainian language are taught in Baku Slavic University and Ukrainian sector opened afterwards. In 2001 Kiev Social and Political Science institute named after Heydar Aliyev was opened. Since 1978 a library named Samed Vurgun is active in Ukraine. At the same year, a short documentary called Azerbaijani days in Ukraine released and year after From the eyes of the friends documentary was shot which was about the Ukrainian culture days in Azerbaijan. Monument of Taras Shevchenko was opened in Azerbaijan in 2008.[16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Yanukovych: Ukraine grateful to Azerbaijan for assistance in difficult situations, Interfax-Ukraine (18 November 2013)
  2. ↑ General look on bilaterial relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan
  3. ↑ Azərbaycan-Ukrayna əlaqələri
  4. ↑ Azerbaijan’s military aviation opportunities. Archived March 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Ukraine supports Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
  6. ↑ The Ukrainian Resurgence by Bohdan Nahaylo, page 248
  7. ↑ Azerbaijan: A Quest for Identity by Charles van der Leeuw, Palgrave Macmillan, 2000, ISBN 978-0-312-21903-1 (page 19)
  8. ↑ Kazaklardan ibarət sülhməramlı qüvvələr formalaşdırıla bilər
  9. ↑ Azerbaijan and Ukraine to support each other when entering into international standardization organizations
  10. ↑ (Talmon 1998, p. 289)
  11. ↑ Podrobnosti events Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ Today interview with Ukrainian political expert
  13. ↑ Heydar Aliyev biography
  14. ↑ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html
  15. ↑ Ukraine announced the list of weapons and military equipment supplied to Azerbaijan in 2009
  16. ↑ Monument of Taras Shevchenko
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