BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. Azerbaijan and the
Central Asian countries are working together to transform the
transportation and communications landscape of Eurasia, Hikmet
Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential
Administration, said on Friday, on the second day of the CAMCA
regional forum in Baku, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.


“Together with our friends and partners from Central Asia, we
are striving to transform the entire Eurasian transportation and
communications landscape,” said H. Hajiyev.


According to him, connectivity is one of the key areas of
cooperation between Azerbaijan and the countries of Central Asia
and enables the region to expand its access to international
markets.


The Presidential Aide emphasized that Azerbaijan and Central
Asia are at the center of the emerging connections between East and
West. “At the very heart of the broader Eurasian continent,
Azerbaijan and Central Asia are forging new connections, stretching
from China to the West and in the opposite direction — from East to
West,” he said.


Hajiyev noted that Azerbaijan is developing transportation
connectivity not only with Central Asian countries but also with
other partners, viewing it as a practical component of broader
Eurasian interaction. According to him, the development of
transportation links is taking place against the backdrop of
expanding economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and various
regions.


He noted that in recent years, Azerbaijan has elevated its
relations with the U.S., China, and the European Union to a
strategic level. “Over the past two years, we have succeeded in
establishing strategic partnerships with three global powers: the
U.S., China, and the European Union,” H. Hajiyev said.


Speaking about the principles of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy,
the presidential aide noted that the country adheres to strategic
autonomy, sovereignty, and independence. “Azerbaijan is always
guided by strategic autonomy and the principles of sovereignty and
independence, because this is a strategic asset for us,” he
said.


According to him, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy is also based on
predictability, transparency, and openness. “We also believe that
foreign policy should not be exclusive; for us, it is an inclusive
process. Our relations with one partner do not mean that they must
be directed against someone else,” emphasized H. Hajiyev.