Azerbaijan’s parliament to hold plenary session
A plenary session of Azerbaijan’s parliament, the Milli Majlis, will be held today.
Pertinent to the parliament’s agenda is the approval of a cooperation agreement between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. The two countries have reiterated their desire to develop bilateral relations in trade and investment as well as further cooperation in security through joint military exercises.
The recent Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has exacerbated tensions in the South Caucasus and highlighted the power structures in the region. Pakistan supported Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war—alongside Turkey and Israel—aiding Baku’s success in securing the disputed territory. Encouraged by cultural affinities and similar domestic challenges, relations between Baku and Islamabad are strategic: in addition to the symbolic support of Baku on the Kashmir issue, this partnership allows Pakistan to import a significant quantity of oil from Azerbaijan.
Expect today’s session to outline parliament’s agenda, advancing the cooperation agreement. Likewise, the speakers of the two parliaments have invited their counterparts to visit each other’s countries after the pandemic. Expect this dynamic to continue and the two countries to set up military partnerships so Azerbaijan can benefit from Pakistan’s military expertise. Trilateral meetings with Turkey will be regularly organised to solidify progress in this emerging partnership.
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