NEW COOPERATION FORMAT

Pakistan is one of few countries notable for their consistent policy of all-out support to and rapprochement with Azerbaijan. 

Pakistan was among the first states to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan. Official Islamabad supports Baku's position on the Karabakh problem openly and on every arena and it openly condemns the Armenian occupation of one-fifth of Azerbaijan's territory. On this subject, the Pakistani leadership's position is so principled that the state will not even establish diplomatic relations with Armenia and it was the first of 10, as of the current moment, states that recognized the Armenian atrocities in Xocali [Khojaly] as genocide. More than that, Azerbaijan and Pakistan are important partners in the sphere of military cooperation. Their economic potential also opens up great prospects to the two countries. This is why saying that the Pakistani president is a welcome guest in Baku means saying nothing.

President Mamnoon Hussain's four-day official visit to Azerbaijan has shown that the relations between the two allies are multifaceted, based on mutual interest and have great potential for further development. Multiple announcements ahead of the Pakistani leader's visit to Azerbaijan as well as the composition of the representative delegation led by Hussain, comprising members of government and business executives, has shown that Islamabad is seriously focused on building up cooperation with Baku. 

During their talks, Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Mamnoon Hussain pointed out that there is good potential to expand relations in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres and exchanged their opinions on a number of regional and international problems. 

The fact that Azerbaijan and Pakistan are not merely trade and economic partners but very close political allies, has been proved by the joint declaration on the two countries' strategic partnership signed by the presidents themselves. The talks between the leaders of the two countries in one-on-one format and during the delegations' meeting in expanded format resulted in the signing of another two documents (an agreement on extradition of prisoners and a cooperation programme between Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy and Foreign Service Academy of Pakistan for 2015-17). A memorandum on mutual understanding between the chambers of commerce of the parties was signed during a business forum held on the next day. The declaration of the heads of states, two agreements and one memorandum have augmented the already solid legal and contractual framework of bilateral relations, which consists of more than 30 documents.

Azerbaijan and Pakistan are strategic partners that are creating a new format of cooperation today, President Ilham Aliyev said after signing the documents. The head of Azerbaijan particularly noted the declaration which, according to him, embraces all areas of bilateral cooperation and is an important stage in further development of strategic relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in the name of the two peoples as well as regional security and stability. Both during and after the meeting the presidents exchanged words of gratitude for mutual support on issues of concern for the sides: Karabakh and Kashmir. 

Islamabad's principled stance on the problem of violation of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was assessed by I.Aliyev in no ambiguous terms: "This is a brotherly attitude. This is a symbol of real support".

"I can assure you that we support and will continue supporting Azerbaijan in the future on the Nagornyy Karabakh issue. We condemn acts of violence committed against the Azerbaijani people by their neighbours, and we resolutely condemn the massacre in Xocali. I can assure you that, at hard and good times and on any issue, we are always with you," M.Hussain said for his part. 

As regards military cooperation, President Aliyev primarily pointed out prospects for cooperation in the sphere of defence industry where both states have achieved much progress lately. "We want to consolidate our efforts to achieve access to modern technologies and to get opportunities for joint activity in the field of research, scientific and defence technologies in order to modernize our potential," he said. 

The heads of the states agreed to raise their economic cooperation to a level as high as that of their political relations. "We have again expressed our commitment to transforming our burgeoning political relations into concrete cooperation in the fields of economics, investments, trade, commerce, education, defence industry, science, technologies and culture. We have arrived at agreement to give an impetus to our bilateral mutual cooperation in the field of trade and investments," the Pakistani President said. 

The President of Azerbaijan expressed hope that the business forum would provide additional opportunities for economic cooperation, contacts with business circles, mutual investments and joint ventures. Let it be noted that, alongside officials, the business forum was attended by 100 entrepreneurs from agriculture, industry, construction, health care, information and computer technologies and other spheres. 

Among the regional and international problems discussed by the presidents was the issue of strengthening Islamic solidarity and the problem of reforming the UN Security Council in order to enhance the efficiency of decisions taken by that body. The Pakistani President also informed his Azerbaijani counterpart (whom he was calling none other than "brother") on a new historical stage in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan started by Islamabad and intensification of multilateral dialogue on matters of politics, security, fight against terrorism, trade and economics. 

Pakistan well remembers how Azerbaijan repeatedly provided humanitarian aid to the Pakistani people at their time of need as the country has gone through a whole series of devastating natural disasters over the past few years. After signing the documents, Pakistani President M. Hussain awarded First Lady of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva the highest order of Pakistan, Hilal-e Pakistan, in recognition of her contribution to humanitarian assistance to the Pakistani people for more than 10 years. 

Efforts to strengthen trade and economic relations with Pakistan fit in well with the task of economic and investment expansion in the Asian market that Azerbaijan set itself quite recently. Pakistan can also become a participant in large infrastructure projects called, according to Baku's idea, to link Asia with Europe. Further rapprochement with Pakistan will enable Azerbaijan to strengthen its positions in the Islamic community. Now, the most important thing. The Karabakh problem is priority No 1 for Azerbaijan. For its peaceful settlement, official Baku works to enlist as much support on the international scene as possible. In this sense, reaffirmed support from traditional allies, among which is Pakistan, is very important. 

Such relations are especially needed if Azerbaijan has to solve the problem of liberating its occupied lands by the use of force: the principled position of Pakistan would be much to the point in that case. Support from not only one of the most populated states of the planet but also a nuclear power means a lot. And the visit by President Hussain to Baku has shown that nothing has changed in the character of relations between Baku and Islamabad.