Lukashenko: Azerbaijan plays key role in region

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has described Azerbaijan as a country playing a key role in the region.

He made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Independence Day on May 28, Caliber.Az reports.

“The dynamically developing economy of your country, its key role in the region, its growing authority in the international arena are indisputable evidence of the correctness of the creative course laid down by your father [late national leader Heydar Aliyev] and successfully continued by you to build a strong and sovereign state,” he said.

He expressed confidence that a “strategic partnership between Minsk and Baku, based on mutual interest and traditionally friendly trusting relations, will continue to strengthen, growing in new forms and directions”.

The Belarus president wished the Azerbaijani president and people prosperity.

Azerbaijani-Belarus trade turnover exceeds $112 million in January-April of 2023.

During the reported period, Azerbaijan imported products worth $102.1 million from Belarus, while the volume of Azerbaijan`s exports to Belarus amounted to $10.1 million.

Both countries were part of the Russian Empire until 1918 and before 1991, they were part of the Soviet Union. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Minsk and Belarus has an embassy in Baku. Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Azerbaijan is a full member of the Council of Europe, and Belarus is a candidate. Both Azerbaijan and Belarus are full members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). There are more than 6,000 Azerbaijanis living in Belarus.