Azerbaijan - Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) relations


History of establishment of the Economic Cooperation Organization: Economic Cooperation Organization was founded in 1985 on the initiative of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. Economic Cooperation Organization was designed as a continuation of the organization of regional cooperation and development, which functioned during 1964-1979.

The Council of Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization is composed of foreign ministers of member states. The Council of Ministers is the Supreme Board of the Economic Cooperation Organization. The meetings of the Council of Ministers are held once a year, alternately in the territory of member countries.

The ECO Secretariat is placed in Tehran. It is chaired by the Secretary-General who is elected every 4 years of alternating between member countries. Economic Cooperation Organization received the observer status in the Organization of the United Nations' 48th Session of the UN General Assembly in 1993, and in the Organization of Islamic Conference in 1994. First relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Organization of Economic Cooperation was established in February of 1991. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan joined the organization at Tehran Summit in 1992. Afghanistan joined the organization in 2002. After this, the foreign ministers of seven member states signed a document on joining the Organization of Economic Cooperation. On September 3, 1993 this document and Izmir Treaty were ratified by the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Economic Cooperation Organization sets a priority to improve the standard of living and upgrade living standards in member states and the expansion of trade between the States and abroad and the elimination of trade policy is the appropriate force in developing countries, integration of member states of the world economy.

The role of Heydar Aliyev in the activity of the Organization of Economic Cooperation: The policy pursued by national leader Heydar Aliyev for the expansion of relations with the Muslim world developed the relations with the Organization of Economic Cooperation. But the events of 1992-1993 delayed the conduction of effective policy in this direction. But the relations with the Organization of Economic Cooperation were always on the forefront of attention of the President. On July 5-7, 1993, there was held the second meeting of heads of member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Istanbul. Heydar Aliyev, performing the duties of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan Republic appealed to the participants of the second meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization. Istanbul Statement on the long-term development of the Organization of Economic Cooperation was adopted at the Summit. The document contains the tasks and main activities of the Organization of Economic Cooperation in the fields of economy, science and culture. In Istanbul the participants of the summit condemned the attacks of the Armenian armed forces on the territory of Azerbaijan and Armenia was demanded to withdraw its army from the occupied territories and a commitment of resolution 822 issued by the Security Council of the Organization of the United Nations. On March 13, 1995, the Third Summit of the Organization for Economic Cooperation started in Islamabad. Azerbaijan was represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs. Agreements on transit trade and to facilitate visa procedures to provide visas to businessmen from member countries of the Organization of Economic Cooperation, on establishment of Navigation and Air Company of the ECO were signed at the summit.

On May 13-14, 1996, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev participated in the Fourth Summit of the Organization of Economic Cooperation held in Ashgabat. Program on the development of Transport and Communications (for 1998-2007) was adopted at the meeting. The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev expressed his deep gratitude with regard to the meeting of the Fourth Summit of Heads of member states of the Organization of Economic Cooperation he said: "... Experience shows that no country can come to economic progress without expanding international cooperation and exchanging experiences and consolidating of the efforts and reserves. So, our interests are not to participate in the organization linked to the economic aspect only, but also the close cooperation with the fraternal countries with which we share common historical and seated traditions and culture of the common foreign policy are priorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan ..." In 1996 it was decided to hold summit meetings every two years.

On May 10-11, 1998 the Fifth Summit of the Organization of Economic Cooperation held in the capital city of Almaty of Kazakhstan. Azerbaijan Republic was represented by Prime Minister. Participants of the meeting adopted Almaty Statement. The document contains the issues related to transport and transportation and the liberalization of trade regimes and the deepening of partnership in agriculture, industry and the establishment of the Commercial Bank and etc... The next summit of the Organization of Economic Cooperation held in Tehran on June 9, 2000. The recent situation in Afghanistan and many other economic issues were discussed at the summit. During summit Pakistani President Parviz Musharraf stated his country's readiness to offer all possible assistance to stop the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan. President Heydar Aliyev stressed the need to revive the Great Silk Road for the development of the economy of the region.

On February 17, 2001, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev met with Abd al-Rahim Govahi, Secretary-General of the Organization of Economic Cooperation. During the meeting they discussed issues of mutual interest.

On October 18, 2002, there was held the Seventh Summit of the Organization of Economic Cooperation in Istanbul. President Heydar Aliyev took part in the Summit. The Fund for Assistance to Afghanistan was established in the summit, and a need for a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan was stressed. Welcoming the positive changes taking place in Afghanistan Azerbaijani President made a speech at the summit. He said: "... the Organization of Economic Cooperation, which covers the area inhabited by nearly 350 million people, should especially develop cooperation among the countries to reduce the poverty level and promote joint ventures ..."

The role of Ilham Aliyev in the activity of the Economic Cooperation Organization: The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gives an attention to expanding relations with the Organization of Economic Cooperation among the priorities of foreign policy. On September 13-14, 2004, the Eighth Summit of the Organization of Economic Cooperation held in Dushanbe. . Azerbaijan was represented at the summit at the level of the Prime Minister. Participants of the meeting stated about the necessity of the establishment of a free trade zone within of the Organization of Economic Cooperation until 2015.

In May 2006, the Ninth Summit of the Organization of Economic Cooperation held in Baku. Baku summit is considered to be one of the most important and necessary meetings in the history of the ECO. The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, The President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Daniyal Akhmetov, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz, the Prime Minister of Tajikistan Altaczyk Akil Akilov, the Chairman of Legislative Chamber of the Parliament of Uzbekistan Erkin Khalilov,the Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Almanbet Matubraimov, Head of the government institution on the affairs of the Caspian Sea with Turkmen President Khoshgaldi Babayev and the Secretary General of the Organization of Economic Cooperation Aschat Aorazbai participated in the Summit. Starting from the top of the Ninth meeting in Baku Azerbaijan received the chairmanship of the Organization of Economic Cooperation. The President of Azerbaijan, chairman of the Ninth Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization Ilham Aliyev made a speech. Stating that Azerbaijan shows great importance to the issues of regional cooperation the President of Azerbaijan said: "... We are collaborators and the organizers of several international and regional projects and we want to increase the number of concrete projects within the Economic Cooperation Organization very much. We have to address the research issues to the concrete and take all measures necessary for the strides process ..."

On February 8, 2007, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Khurshid Anwar, Secretary General of the Organization of Economic Cooperation. During the meeting Secretary-General once again stated that the people of Pakistan strongly condemn the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan.

On March 11, 2009, the Tenth Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization held in Tehran. President Ilham Aliyev attended the summit. In his speech the President of Azerbaijan said: "... during the last three years, under our chairmanship various initiatives were taken in the Economic Cooperation Organization. At the same time, on the initiative of Azerbaijan very important steps were taken in the areas of energy, transport and others in the region. Azerbaijan continues its contributions to the work of promoting energy security. .. ". At the end of the summit there was adopted Tehran Statement. The statement refers to the need to resolve regional conflicts within the territorial integrity of the States in the peaceful way. Azerbaijan will take over chairmanship of the Organization of Economic Cooperation in 2012.
The geostrategic position of the member countries of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and presence on the transportation corridor with shorter distance at the crossroads of the East and the West, and sing wealth of natural factors increase the importance of this organization. Azerbaijan has particular weight in this organization for the terms mentioned. Azerbaijan is a country which is keen to introduce reforms in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and enhance its performance.

General historical reference was compiled on July 1, 2010