MOSCOW, August 25. /Dunyo IA/.  Yuri Sigov, Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations of the Russian State University for the Humanities, commented for Dunyo IA on the outcomes of the state visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan held on August 23-24^th:

- As part of the state visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan, talks were held in narrow and expanded formats between the two delegations. During the discussions, the sides reviewed issues of further deepening the strategic partnership and alliance relations between Tashkent and Baku, and deliberated on promising areas of bilateral cooperation. Several events took place in New Tashkent during the visit, and the Azerbaijani leader also visited Bukhara, where he familiarized himself with the historical and architectural monuments of the city.

I believe that such a visit goes far beyond the scope of ordinary bilateral cooperation between two post-Soviet states. Instead, it demonstrates the growing desire of the Central Asian and South Caucasian republics to develop direct, mutually beneficial contacts.

As the key economic and political player in the South Caucasus today, Azerbaijan is actively strengthening its ties with the countries of Central Asia, prioritizing its relations with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. For Tashkent, Baku is also a vital partner in the Caspian region, serving as a crucial transport corridor toward Turkey and European markets.

Personal interaction between the two heads of state, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ilham Aliyev, is also crucial, as both possess ample personal leadership potential to drive the dynamics of bilateral relations.

Overall, this visit serves as further proof of the growing independence and pragmatism of the sovereign nations in Central Asia and the South Caucasus amid ongoing geopolitical instability.