Astana, October 21, AZERTAC

On October 21, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, made press statements following the exchange of signed documents between the two countries.

The President of Kazakhstan made the statement first.

Statement by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

- Dear Ilham Heydar oglu,

Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the esteemed President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, for accepting my invitation to pay a state visit to Kazakhstan.

I attach special importance to this event.

It is a great honor for us to be hosting the leader of the brotherly Azerbaijani people, outstanding statesman President Ilham Aliyev, on Kazakh soil.

Our countries share common roots and history.

Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner for Kazakhstan.

Our relations are developing steadily today.

We are paying special attention to the strengthening of our interstate relations.

Our primary goal is to comprehensively strengthen the friendship between our peoples and give new impetus to cooperation in various areas.

This is fully aligned with the fundamental interests of both our countries.

I am confident that this visit will contribute to raising Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan relations to a qualitatively new level, and that the agreements reached today will further strengthen the friendly relations between our countries.

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

I regard the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan as a critically important event and a step towards strengthening the strategic partnership and allied relations between our countries. Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is an outstanding figure of historic significance. He has made a decisive contribution to the protection and strengthening of the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Thanks to the tireless efforts of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan's authority and influence on the global stage have been significantly enhanced. Under his strong leadership, Azerbaijan has achieved impressive successes in many areas, primarily in terms of socioeconomic development. The results of comprehensive reforms carried out in Azerbaijan are manifested in the country’s sustainable economic growth, the improving well-being of its citizens and the dynamic transformation of your state. The macroeconomic indicators of the Azerbaijani economy are sustainable and provide convincing evidence of the country's progress and the good shape of its economy.

Kazakhstan sincerely rejoices in the achievements of brotherly Azerbaijan. It is quite symbolic that this state visit is taking place in the year marking the 20th anniversary of the Treaty on Strategic Partnership and Allied Relations between our countries. During this time, our countries have achieved tremendous successes in bilateral cooperation. Thanks to the friendship and mutual support of our peoples, the extensive political dialogue at the highest level, and the work of our governments, the multifaceted Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan cooperation is developing steadily and acquiring new dimensions. The results of today's talks are a vivid evidence of this.

We have discussed a wide range of issues on the bilateral agenda in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, outlining priorities for continuing our multifaceted cooperation. The meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council has been quite fruitful, culminating in the signing of a number of important documents.

It is particularly gratifying that the comprehensive program for the development of bilateral cooperation is being implemented in a consistent manner. During the talks, special attention has been paid to expanding trade and economic ties. We agreed to take the necessary measures to double bilateral trade turnover in the near future, raising it to 1 billion dollars.

There are ample opportunities in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, construction and digitalization.

Both sides have expressed interest in establishing joint ventures, with significant progress made in this regard. For example, the launch of joint transformer production is under consideration. Construction of residential and infrastructure facilities is underway, joint shipbuilding projects are under review. The governments have been instructed to monitor these areas and promptly adopt a plan, or a roadmap, as they are now called, for developing industrial cooperation. To finance promising and mutually beneficial projects, we have agreed to step up the activities of the Kazakh-Azerbaijani Direct Investment Fund. We have also highlighted the need to further expand contacts between the business communities of the two countries. In this regard, the Kazakh-Azerbaijani business forum, taking place as part of the visit, is also of tremendous importance.

During the talks, we reviewed the progress of major infrastructure projects, in particular the strategically important Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Last year, freight traffic along this route increased by 62 percent to 4.5 million tons. This year's figures are also fairly encouraging, with growth of 2 percent. We are working with international partners to simultaneously eliminate the so-called bottlenecks by establishing a single long-term tariff along the corridor. This will certainly improve efficiency, ensure uninterrupted supply along the entire route, and, as we plan, allow us to increase freight volumes to 10 million tons.

In addition, we have noted the importance of developing the terminal capacity of our ports. Kazakhstan is building a container hub in Aktau. The construction of a cargo terminal at the port of Alat with the participation of international partners, including those from China, offers good prospects. The possibility of creating a new Trans-Caspian ferry system for cargo exports was also discussed during the negotiations.

Particular attention has been paid to the strengthening of cooperation in the energy sector, where our countries have significant potential. I am pleased to note our joint work on transporting Kazakh oil along the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route. Last year, nearly 1.5 million tons of this strategic commodity were transited through Azerbaijan. We plan to significantly increase this volume in the near future.

The subsea cable project is expected to boost the development of national energy systems, significantly strengthening our position in green energy exports. Extensive work is underway to supply Kazakhstan’s uranium products to foreign markets through Azerbaijan, and I would like to express my gratitude to the esteemed President of Azerbaijan for his support of all key initiatives and projects in this regard.

Given the rapid development of artificial intelligence, vast opportunities are emerging in the IT sector. Kazakhstan has gained experience in the digitalization of public services and the development of IT technologies, and we are ready to implement joint projects in this area. During the talks, we underlined the importance of accelerating projects to lay a Caspian subsea fiber-optic communication line. The governments have been instructed to make sure that it is completed as soon as possible.

Cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian sectors traditionally occupies a special place on our agenda. Significant events in recent years have included the Days of Culture and Days of Cinema of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, held reciprocally in our countries. To make these efforts more systematic, we have agreed to adopt a cultural cooperation program. We have also discussed prospects for the development of education, science, and youth contacts. With this aim, the Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Scientific and Educational Center has been operating in Baku since last year.

We have had an exchange of views on all other pressing issues of the regional and global agenda. We acknowledge the alignment of our positions on all current international political issues. We have emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts at the level of various structures. A mutual commitment to strengthening peace, security, and stability at the regional and global levels has also been reaffirmed.

As is well known, President Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev has fulfilled a historic mission by signing the peace declaration between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington with the active mediation of US President Donald Trump. Kazakhstan officially welcomed this important event. I am confident that the agreements reached will strengthen the atmosphere in the South Caucasus and open up new opportunities for shared progress.

All in all, the results of the visit clearly demonstrate our mutual commitment to further developing Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan relations in the spirit of strategic partnership and alliance for the well-being of our brotherly peoples.

Thank you for your attention.

x x x

Then, the President of Azerbaijan delivered a statement.

Statement by President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich,

Dear friends,

First, I would like to express my gratitude to the President of Kazakhstan for the warm welcome, hospitality, and invitation to visit brotherly Kazakhstan. I visit Kazakhstan regularly and have witnessed firsthand the positive transformations and development that Kazakhstan is experiencing under the wise leadership of President Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev. The reforms carried out by the President in recent years, along with the course toward modernization and the advancement of modern technologies - including artificial intelligence - clearly demonstrate that Kazakhstan is confidently progressing on the path of development and renewal.

Kazakhstan's international authority is growing as well. Today, Kazakhstan is regarded worldwide as a reliable partner, as a country pursuing its own course, pursuing its policies in line with its national interests, and as a good friend.

As for Azerbaijan, we have always felt this. We have always experienced your brotherly support during the most difficult times for our people and our country. During the years of occupation, Kazakhstan consistently supported us in all international forums and on all of Azerbaijan’s international initiatives, stood in solidarity with us in voting, and contributed to resolving the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict on the basis of international law and justice.

I am very grateful to Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich, first of all, for his kind words about me and our country, and also for his support of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. After the initialing of the peace agreement on 8 August at the White House in Washington, with the participation and active support of US President Donald Trump for this process, Kazakhstan was one of the first countries to express its position on this issue. I had a telephone conversation with Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich, informed him of all the details of the agreements reached, and once again witnessed his brotherly attitude towards Azerbaijan. Today, at the meeting of the Interstate Council, we also discussed this, among other things, and the positive impact these agreements will have on the South Caucasus and the wider region, including the development of the transport and logistics sector.

I should also note that Azerbaijan has lifted all restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia that had existed since the time of occupation. The first such transit cargo was a shipment of Kazakh grain to Armenia. I believe this is also a clear indication that peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia is no longer merely on paper but has already become a matter of practice.

Our peoples are bound by centuries-old friendship and brotherhood, which are based on shared roots and moral and cultural affinities. This is a solid foundation for building our interstate relations. If we review the dynamics of mutual visits - there have been more than ten of them over the past three years - it is clear how extensive our relations are. Every meeting and discussion is focused on achieving tangible results. Today, we heard reports from various ministers and reviewed plans for the future, and of course, we gave additional instructions on how to further strengthen our cooperation. What we heard is quite gratifying, as everything that was planned is being implemented. Where there are matters requiring the attention and involvement of the heads of state, they remain under our constant oversight.

The second meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council, which followed the session of the Intergovernmental Commission, along with the results achieved by both bodies, serves the interests of our countries, our peoples, and also our neighbors. The active interaction between our countries today also has very significant geopolitical significance. At a time when new transport routes are opening, when projects related to connectivity are being implemented across the broader Eurasian region, when the South Caucasus and Central Asia are becoming more interconnected and often operate within a single geographic space, all this requires permanent attention and, of course, the engagement of the heads of state to translate this interaction into concrete results.

Our countries traditionally support each other within the framework of international organizations, including the UN and others. Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich recently visited us to participate in the Summit of Turkic States. Such active interaction across international platforms further demonstrates the closeness between us.

Next year, Azerbaijan will host two significant international events – and, of course, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich, I am sure, will be among our honored guests: the Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, an organization that came into being thanks to Kazakhstan’s initiative. At all international forums, we act practically as a single entity. Today’s negotiations, the exchange of views, and the decisions made are further proof of this.

Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich extensively talked about the issues of trade and economic cooperation, cooperation in transport and logistics, energy, and humanitarian cooperation. I would like to add that all the people of Azerbaijan, including those currently living in liberated Garabagh, always gratefully acknowledge the role of President Tokayev and the brotherly people of Kazakhstan in the revival of Garabagh. The Kurmangazy Children’s Creativity Center, which President Tokayev and I inaugurated in Fuzuli, is a center not only for children's education and development, but also a symbol of our brotherhood and friendship. Anyone visiting the Garabagh region, whether by car or by air - mostly using Fuzuli as a gateway to other areas - passes by the Kurmangazy Center, where every Azerbaijani citizen and guest of our country can witness this fraternal support. This support is especially significant for us, as we are successfully implementing the large-scale Great Return project, in part thanks to Kazakhstan’s brotherly assistance.

Today, we also watched a presentation about our achievements in implementing the Middle Corridor project, as well as future plans. I would like to add that, in addition to the planning and implementation underway, the Zangezur Corridor project also offers enormous potential. In Azerbaijan, all road and railway connections will be completed by mid-next year. We do hope that progress in other countries will be just as rapid, and in that case, the opening of the Zangezur Corridor could take place by the end of 2028.

As you may know, one of the achievements of the Washington summit in August was the TRIPP (The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) project. With President Trump’s name behind this project, it is clear that it will indeed be implemented, opening yet another route along the Middle Corridor. in addition to the traditional route, another one has been added – through Zangezur, with a turnover of 15 million tons and meeting the latest standards. The volume of cargo from Asia to Europe and back through our countries has potential for growth in itself, and there will also be even greater potential for receiving and shipping this cargo.

Regarding the other issues we discussed today, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich has covered everything in detail, so I have nothing further to add.

I would simply like to once again express my gratitude for the brotherly attitude and warm welcome, and invite President Tokayev to pay a state visit to Azerbaijan at any convenient time next year.

Thank you.