Foreign relations of Azerbaijan

Politics of AzerbaijanAzerbaijan is a member of the United Nations; the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; NATO's Partnership for Peace; Euro-Atlantic Partnership; World Health Organization; CFE Treaty member state; the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; the Council of Europe; the Community of Democracies; the International Monetary Fund; and the World Bank.

Azerbaijan has formal involvement with senior US government officials including James Baker and Henry Kissinger as they serve on the [http://www.usacc.org/contents.php?cid=2 Honorary Council of Advisors] for the [http://www.usacc.org/ U.S. Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce] . The [http://www.usacc.org/ U.S. Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce] is co-chaired by [http://www.usacc.org/contents.php?cid=29 Tim Cejka] , President of Exxon Mobil Corporation, and [http://www.usacc.org/contents.php?cid=30 Reza Vaziri] , President of R.V. Investment Group and Chairman of the [http://www.ukwire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200507290700114603P.html Anglo Asian Mining Plc] (LSE Ticker: [http://www.londonstockexchange.com/en-gb/pricesnews/prices/system/detailedprices.htm?ti=AAZ AAZ] ).

International organization participation

AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Countries

Azerbaijan currently has diplomatic relations with 158 countries ^{[http://www.azer.com/aiweb/categories/services/embassies/embassies_foreign/embassies_foreign_index.html]} , ^{[http://www.azer.com/aiweb/categories/services/embassies/embassies_azerbaijan/embassies_azerbaijan_index.html]} : Afghanistan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the People's Republic of China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Republic of India, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The ambassador of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan is Ismatilla Ergashev. [http://www.azertag.com/en/index.shtml?language=english&catid=&news_year=&news_month=&news_day=&newsid=194930&themes_viewing=&themes_page=&themeid=&news_page= National Holiday of Uzbekistan marked in Baku] AzerTAj]

Azerbaijan also maintains good relations with the European Union, and could potentially one day apply for membership. "see Azerbaijan and the European Union".

Disputes

Disputes - international:

Nagorno-Karabakh/Armenia
Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding and very bitter, separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government;

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region within Azerbaijan. The current conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) began in 1988 when Armenian demonstrations against Azerbaijani rule broke out in both N-K and Armenia and the N-K Supreme Soviet voted to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia. Soon, violence broke out against ethnic Azeris in Armenia and ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijan. In 1990, after violent episodes in N-K, Baku and Sumgait, Moscow declared a state of emergency in N-K, sent troops to the region, and forcibly occupied Baku, killing over a hundred civilians. In April 1991, Azerbaijani militia and Soviet forces targeted Armenian paramilitaries operating in N-K; Moscow also deployed troops to Yerevan. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, conflict escalated into a full-scale war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Military action was heavily influenced by the Russian military, which inspired and manipulated the rivalry between the two neighbouring nations in order to keep both under control.

More than 30,000 people were killed in the fighting from 1992 to 1994. In May 1992, Armenian forces seized Shusha and Lachin (thereby linking N-K to Armenia). By October 1993, Armenian forces had succeeded in occupying almost all of N-K, Lachin and large areas in southwestern Azerbaijan. In 1993, the UN Security Council adopted resolutions calling for the cessation of hostilities, unimpeded access for international humanitarian relief efforts, and the eventual deployment of a peacekeeping force in the region. Fighting continued, however, until May 1994 when Russia brokered a cease-fire.

Negotiations to resolve the conflict peacefully have been ongoing since 1992 under the aegis of the Minsk Group of the OSCE. The Minsk Group is currently co-chaired by Russia, France, and the United States and has representation from Turkey, the U.S., several European nations, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Despite the 1994 cease-fire, sporadic violations, sniper-fire, and landmine incidents continue to claim over 100 lives each year.

Since 1997, the Minsk Group Co-Chairs have presented three proposals to serve as a framework for resolving the conflict. One side or the other rejected each of those proposals. Beginning in 1999, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia initiated a direct dialogue through a series of face-to-face meetings, often facilitated by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Most recently the OSCE sponsored a round of negotiations between the Presidents in Key West, Florida. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell launched the talks on April 3, 2001, and the negotiations continued with mediation by the U.S., Russia, and France until April 6, 2001. The Co-Chairs are continuing to work with the two Presidents in the hope of finding a lasting peace. The two countries are still technically at war.Fact|date=January 2007

Citizens of the Republic of Armenia are forbidden entry to the Republic of Azerbaijan. If a person's passport shows any evidence of travel to Nagorno-Karabakh, barring a diplomatic passport, they are forbidden entry to the Republic of Azerbaijan. Fact|date=January 2007

Cyprus
Azerbaijan, like most other nations, formally recognizes the government of the Republic of Cyprus, which under UN and EU law represents the entire island, but interestingly enough, the parliament of Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic issued a resolution recognizing the Turkish Cypriot North (The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) as a sovereign state. While this recognition is not regarded internationally as 'official state-to-state', Azerbaijan itself maintains cordial unofficial relations with the TRNC. In 2004, Azerbaijan threatened to formally recognize the TRNC if the Annan Plan was voted down by the Greek Cypriots (who rejected the plan in one of twin referendums held 24 April 2004 in both the Greek and Turkish zones simultaneously), but Azerbaijan backed off the threat when it was pointed out that doing so would probably result in negative impact on its ongoing dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Recently, in July 2005, Azerbaijan announced its intentions to recognize TRNC passports and to commence direct flights from Baku to Ercan Airport in the TRNC (by-passing both Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus); however, aside from a flight handled by the private company Imair in August 2005, none have taken place. [ [http://www.turkishpolicy.com/default.asp?show=winter_2005_Ismailzade Turkey and Azerbaijan: The Honeymoon is Over] by Fariz Ismailzade. "Turkishpolicy.com"]

Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined with Iran and Turkmenistan. Issues with Russia and Kazakhstan were settled in 2003.

Illicit drugs

There is limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption, and a limited government eradication program. Azerbaijan is a transshipment point for opiates via Iran, Central Asia, and Russia to Western Europe and the U.S..

References

*CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website

ee also

*Azerbaijan and the European Union
*Azerbaijani diplomatic missions
*List of diplomatic missions in Azerbaijan

External links

* [http://www.usembassybaku.org U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan in Baku]
* [http://www.azembassy.com/ Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Washington]
* [http://www.today.az/news/politics/31315.html Tajikistan & Kyrgyzstan relations]