Fifth Meeting of Russia–Azerbaijan Expert Council

On June 21, 2024, Baku hosted the fifth meeting of the Russia–Azerbaijan Expert Council (RAEC) themed “Cooperation Between Russia and Azerbaijan in Regional Projects and Initiatives,” jointly organized by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center, Azerbaijan). The RAEC holds regular annual meetings. This year’s gathering featured the presentation of RIAC policy brief “Russia–Azerbaijan Strategic Cooperation at Present.”

Opening speeches were delivered by Igor Maslov, Chief of the Presidential Directorate for Interregional Relations and Cultural Contacts with Foreign Countries; Hikmet Hajiyev, Advisor to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration; Mikhail Evdokimov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Azerbaijan; Elshad Iskandarov, Ambassador-at-Large of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry; RIAC Director General Ivan Timofeev and AIR Center Chairman Farid Shafiyev. The speakers pointed out the positive trend in the development of Moscow–Baku relations, their resilience amid increasing conflict in international relations at the global level and in the regional dimension. Furthermore, both countries see considerable and progressive pace at which their scope of engagement deepens and expands year by year.

On June 21, 2024, Baku hosted the fifth meeting of the Russia–Azerbaijan Expert Council (RAEC) themed “Cooperation Between Russia and Azerbaijan in Regional Projects and Initiatives,” jointly organized by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center, Azerbaijan). The RAEC holds regular annual meetings. This year’s gathering featured the presentation of RIAC policy brief “Russia–Azerbaijan Strategic Cooperation at Present.”

Opening speeches were delivered by Igor Maslov, Chief of the Presidential Directorate for Interregional Relations and Cultural Contacts with Foreign Countries; Hikmet Hajiyev, Advisor to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration; Mikhail Evdokimov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Azerbaijan; Elshad Iskandarov, Ambassador-at-Large of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry; RIAC Director General Ivan Timofeev and AIR Center Chairman Farid Shafiyev. The speakers pointed out the positive trend in the development of Moscow–Baku relations, their resilience amid increasing conflict in international relations at the global level and in the regional dimension. Furthermore, both countries see considerable and progressive pace at which their scope of engagement deepens and expands year by year.

RIAC Director General Ivan Timofeev and AIR Center Chairman Farid Shafiyev stressed that the RAEC format and its annual meetings demonstrate the relevance and timeliness of this project, all the more so in the period of post-conflict development in the South Caucasus. They also emphasized the importance of direct contacts between experts from Russia and Azerbaijan with a view to strengthening bilateral relations and sharpening the understanding of approaches to issues on each other’s global and regional agenda. A proposal was made to intensify expert meetings, including through midterm events and opportunities to keep both sides informed about each other’s gatherings of mutual interest.

During the Council meeting, which comprised two sessions and a panel discussion, the RAEC participants — leading members of Russian and Azerbaijani expert centers — gave the following useful insights:

• The potential for cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan is growing in both economic and political spheres. Despite some disagreements in a number of issues on the regional agenda in the South Caucasus, Moscow and Baku seek to strengthen interregional cooperation in various fields.

• The share of national currencies in the bilateral trade is increasing, and cooperation between the regions is actively advancing. The experts suggested that stronger interaction and search for reciprocal investments between the regions of the two nations will continue to play an increasing role in deepening economic relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.

• Russia and Azerbaijan attach great importance to expanding bilateral cooperation in culture, science and media. Their humanitarian cooperation is multifaceted and covers such spheres as education, healthcare, sports, culture, science, media and diaspora relations, among others. Cultural and humanitarian cooperation as a soft power tool has a positive impact on building foreign relations both bilaterally and regionally. Moscow and Baku’s plans to bring back the tradition of cross culture days are an important aspect, with both parties reaffirming their readiness to continue systematic work in this regard.

• The prospects for industrial and trade cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in the context of regional economic cooperation are favorable for both Moscow and Baku, as well as for other nations in the region. The development of cooperation in trade and logistics can significantly drive economic growth of both countries and promote win-win cooperation, given Azerbaijan’s geographic location, its transport and logistics potential, as well as an opportunity for the country to grow into a more active hub for attracting international capital flows.

• Russia is fully ready to support further normalization of Armenian–Azerbaijani relations.

• The role of the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in the current geopolitical landscape is of particular relevance to Russia and Azerbaijan alike. Restoring transport links among the South Caucasus nations will help cultivate both economic and political relations within the region and will also have a positive effect on the development of cooperation between the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

• The 3+3 consultative regional platform is currently one of the main promising negotiation forums in the South Caucasus. This cooperation mechanism is becoming increasingly more relevant amid the post-conflict development in the region. The format provides the groundwork not only for building new economic and logistical structure of regional cooperation, but also for establishing a separate security space and political dialogue in the South Caucasus.

• Energy, transport and logistics are the core and most promising spheres in expanding cooperation in the Russia — Azerbaijan — Central Asia triangle. The parties are ready to continue discussing new investment projects in the Caspian region and access to external markets.

• There is a need for further institutionalization of the Caspian Five group to address many common issues, including security, trade, economic cooperation and environmental protection.

• Together with the positive developments in tackling regional issues, the risk of destructive interference by extra-regional actors persists. The parties are ready to jointly oppose attempts at such interference.

• The participants discussed the workplan for the rest of the year, including the preparation of a joint RIAC–AIR Center paper on cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in regional projects and its presentation during the upcoming sixth RAEC meeting. Top matters of mutual interest include interaction between Moscow and Baku within the Caspian Five group, the International North–South Transport Corridor project, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Russia — Azerbaijan — Central Asia triangle.

• The Russian and Azerbaijani delegates agreed to consider holding a midterm event on one or more topical matters, which could take place between the past and upcoming RAEC meetings. They also agreed to work out the ways to keep both sides informed about each other’s events of mutual interest.