AZE.US
Azerbaijan is emerging as a major transit and political hub linking different parts of Eurasia, former Foreign Minister Tofig Zulfugarov said in an interview with CBC.
According to Zulfugarov, Azerbaijan is seeking to preserve stability while wars and growing tensions continue both north and south of the country. At the same time, Baku is offering transport, humanitarian and diplomatic opportunities to regional and international partners.
He described Azerbaijan as a “land-based Suez Canal” connecting East and West.
Zulfugarov said the importance of the East-West and North-South transport routes is increasing as traditional maritime and air corridors face greater security risks.
“We did not start these wars, and they are not part of our interests,” he said. “We want to remain outside these turbulent processes, while also offering our good offices.”
The former minister argued that Azerbaijan is increasingly viewed as an influential regional and transregional player.
He pointed to the country’s role in hosting major international forums, its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, COP29 and meetings involving representatives of major powers and military institutions.
Zulfigarov said predictability has become one of the main strengths of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
He identified non-interference in the internal affairs of neighboring states, the primacy of national interests and a readiness to help reduce tensions without automatically siding with one party as key principles of Baku’s approach.
The former foreign minister also commented on the European Union’s growing interest in Azerbaijan.
He said the country remains an important part of the energy security of Southern Europe and the Balkans, while Brussels is also seeking a larger role in the region’s transport infrastructure.
At the same time, Zulfugarov stressed that Azerbaijan is able to finance major infrastructure projects from its own resources and is not forced to accept foreign investment on any terms.
“We are not standing with an outstretched hand,” he said. “Azerbaijan has substantial financial resources, so relations can be built on the basis of mutual interests.”
In his view, Azerbaijan’s strategic location, political independence and predictable foreign policy are helping it strengthen its position as one of the key powers of the South Caucasus.
AZE.US