Azerbaijan's Recognition Of Kosovo: A Complex Diplomatic Issue

Azerbaijan does not recognise Kosovo's independence, with a spokesperson for the Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khazar Ibrahim, stating that it is contrary to international law. Azerbaijan's position on Kosovo is influenced by its own conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which it does not want to set a precedent for.

Azerbaijan's non-recognition of Kosovo's independence

Azerbaijan has not recognised Kosovo's independence, citing the fact that it contradicts international law. Azerbaijan's non-recognition of Kosovo's independence is also influenced by its strong relations with Serbia.

On the day Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia, Azerbaijan's spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Khazar Ibrahim, stated that Azerbaijan "views this illegal act as being in contradiction with international law". He further asserted that "Azerbaijan's position is clear: it does not recognise Kosovo's independence". Azerbaijan has also withdrawn its peacekeepers from Kosovo.

In 2008, Azerbaijan opposed a strongly worded statement in support of Kosovo's declaration of independence at a senior-level gathering of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Dakar, Senegal. This stance is in line with Azerbaijan's support for Serbia's territorial integrity.

In 2009, Azerbaijan reiterated its position on Kosovo, stating that entities that declare secession while violating the internal laws of the state cannot be considered states, and that a fait accompli would not be accepted. This stance was further emphasised by President Ilham Aliyev in May 2010, who characterised the proclaimed independence of Kosovo as a unilateral and illegal move.

Azerbaijan has provided various forms of support to Serbia, including credit lines during Serbia's financial crisis in 2008, aid following devastating floods in 2014, and a gas supply deal in 2023 after Western pressure to join sanctions against Russia. Azerbaijan has also funded the restoration of several cultural and religious sites in Serbia.

In summary, Azerbaijan's non-recognition of Kosovo's independence stems from its interpretation of international law, its support for Serbia's territorial integrity, and the strong bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Serbia.

Azerbaijan's relations with Serbia

Azerbaijan and Serbia have a history of diplomatic relations, with both countries sharing embassies in each other's capitals. In recent years, the two countries have grown closer, with Azerbaijan providing credit lines to Serbia during its 2014 financial crisis, and Serbia supporting Azerbaijan's territorial integrity in its conflict with Armenia.

Historical Context

Azerbaijan and Serbia were both part of the Soviet Union during the twentieth century, with ideological connections through communism also playing a role in their relationship. In 1991, Yugoslavia recognised Azerbaijan's independence, and diplomatic relations were established in 1997.

Recent Developments

In 2010 and 2011, the diplomatic missions of both countries were raised to the level of embassies, and high-level visits from both sides took place, including a visit by Serbian President Boris Tadić to Azerbaijan in 2010, and a reciprocal visit by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Serbia in 2011. During these visits, the importance of intensive dialogue and the establishment of special relations between the two heads of state was emphasised.

In 2013, the presidents of Serbia and Azerbaijan, Tomislav Nikolić and Ilham Aliyev, unveiled a monument to Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla in Baku, further cementing the relationship between the two countries.

Military and Security Cooperation

Azerbaijan and Serbia have expanded their defence partnership in recent years, with Serbia signing a $300 million defence contract with Azerbaijan in February 2024. This contract provides Azerbaijan with a foothold in the Balkans and enables it to exert soft power in the region.

In December 2023, there were reports of increased military cooperation between the two countries, with Azerbaijan allegedly looking to purchase 48 self-propelled howitzers from Serbia.

Energy Cooperation

While defence cooperation has been a recent development, energy, particularly natural gas and electricity exports, has been the focal point of the Azerbaijan-Serbia partnership. In November 2023, the two countries signed a new energy deal, with Azerbaijan agreeing to deliver natural gas to Serbia. This deal is part of Serbia's efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce dependence on Russia following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Azerbaijan has also played a role in the development of Serbia's infrastructure, with Azerbaijani companies involved in the construction of highways and the Serbia-Bulgaria Gas Interconnector.

Complications in the Relationship

The relationship between Azerbaijan and Serbia has not been without complications. In 2020, during the Second Karabakh War between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Azerbaijani media exposed the use of Serbian-made weaponry by the Armenian Armed Forces, triggering a diplomatic scandal. However, the two countries were able to normalise relations quickly, with intensive diplomatic efforts from both sides.

Overall, Azerbaijan and Serbia have a strong and developing relationship, characterised by mutual support for each other's territorial integrity, economic cooperation, and growing defence ties. This partnership is particularly significant in the context of regional power dynamics and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with both countries seeking to counterbalance Armenia's pivot towards the West.

Azerbaijan's relations with Russia

Azerbaijan and Russia are de facto and de jure allies in many aspects, including the military. The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals, and there is a notable diaspora of Russians in Azerbaijan, which is the largest Russian diaspora in the region.

Russia and Azerbaijan's relationship has been up and down. What is now Azerbaijan became part of the Russian Empire after Qajar Iran was forced to cede it following the Russo-Persian War (1804–13) and the Russo-Persian War (1826–28). After decades as a territory of the Russian Empire, Azerbaijan achieved independence, before being annexed into the Soviet Union in 1920.

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, relations between the two countries grew closer due to Ayaz Mutallibov's foreign policy. However, Mutallibov was forced to resign after the Armenian occupation of Khojaly, and his successor, Abulfaz Elchibey, pursued anti-Russian politics during his one-year rule. When Heydar Aliyev came to power in 1993, he re-established warmer relations with Russia.

In 2008, Russia transferred extensive weapons to Armenia, costing about $800 million. In 2012, Russia's lease of the Gabala Radar Station in Azerbaijan was not renewed, and Russia built a new Voronezh radar station in its own Krasnodar Region. Russia also stopped the transit of Azeri oil via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline. Despite these breakdowns in their relationship, Russia and Azerbaijan have continued to hold discussions on issues such as Nagorno-Karabakh, the Caspian Sea, and energy cooperation.

During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russia expressed reluctance to intervene against Azerbaijan, despite its formal alliance with Armenia. This was attributed to deteriorating Armenia-Russia relations and growing Russian ties with Azerbaijan. Russia facilitated peace talks between the two countries, which culminated in a ceasefire on October 10, though this was later disregarded.

In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, and many Azerbaijani opposition leaders condemned Russia for its actions. Azerbaijan has become an essential partner for Russia when it comes to energy exports and keeping open a transport corridor to Iran. Russia has supported the Azerbaijani Zangezur corridor plan, which would create a transport route through Armenia, connecting Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan. However, this plan has faced vocal opposition from Armenia and Iran.

Trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan are on the rise. In 2008, trade turnover between the two countries increased by 39.3%, and in 2023, Russian oil exports to Azerbaijan quadrupled. Russian-Azerbaijani relations in culture and education are also developing steadily, with over 15,000 students in Azerbaijan involved in Russian language education.

Azerbaijan's relations with Turkey

Azerbaijan and Turkey have historically strong relations, with Turkey being one of the first countries to recognise Azerbaijan's independence in 1918 and the first to recognise its restoration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The two countries refer to their relationship as being "one nation, two states", and share strong ethnic, cultural, and historic ties.

Turkey has been a strong supporter of Azerbaijan's efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity, and realise its economic potential from the natural resources of the Caspian Sea. Turkey is the main route for Azerbaijan's oil and gas exports, and Azerbaijan has become a major investor in Turkey. The two countries also share a 17km-long international border, with the Aras River separating Turkey from the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan.

Turkey supported Azerbaijan during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, supplying arms and holding joint military drills. Turkey has also been politically supportive of Azerbaijan, backing the OSCE Minsk Group as a mechanism for resolving the territorial dispute, and viewing it from the principle of Azerbaijani integrity.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have built on their linguistic and cultural ties to form a close economic partnership, with Turkey negotiating to buy natural gas from Azerbaijan, and the two countries cooperating on infrastructure projects such as the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline, the South Caucasus Pipeline, and the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway.

In terms of military cooperation, the two countries first signed an agreement in 1992, and have since closely cooperated on defence and security. They have also formed an intergovernmental military law enforcement organisation, along with Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia, called TAKM.

Turkey's support for Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia is also linked to its own tensions with Armenia. Turkey has no diplomatic relations with Armenia, and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993 due to the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey demanded the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts as a condition for establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia.

Turkey's involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has included military training, joint exercises, and the supply of arms to Azerbaijan. There have been claims that Turkey sent Syrian mercenaries and F-16 combat jets to assist Azerbaijani forces, but these have been denied by the Turkish government.

Turkey's support for Azerbaijan is seen as part of its regional and global aspirations, as well as its increasing use of "gunboat diplomacy" to resolve disputes. With the conflict threatening to draw in Russia, experts believe that Azerbaijan will act with caution and limit any Turkish intervention to avoid angering Russia.

Azerbaijan's relations with Armenia

Azerbaijan does not recognize Kosovo's independence, citing the move as an ["illegal act" that contradicts international law. Azerbaijan has also withdrawn its peacekeepers from Kosovo.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have had strained relations due to the five wars waged between the two countries in the past century. There are no diplomatic relations between the two neighboring states. However, recent developments indicate a move towards normalization and peace:

• In October 2022, during the European Political Community summit in Prague, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met and confirmed their commitment to upholding each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
• In June 2023, Aliyev and Pashinyan met in Moscow and agreed to recognize each other's states' territorial integrity within Soviet-era administrative borders. Pashinyan confirmed Armenia's recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, and Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan holds no territorial claims against Armenia.
• As a gesture of goodwill, Armenia supported Azerbaijan's bid to host the 29th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, withdrawing its own candidacy.
• Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to take steps towards normalizing their relations, including the exchange of prisoners of war. This move has been welcomed by the European Union and the United States.

Frequently asked questions