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This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Azerbaijan

• Constitution
• President
  • Ilham Aliyev
  • Presidential Administration
• Prime Minister
  • Artur Rasizade
  • Cabinet of Ministers
• National Assembly
  • Speaker of Parliament
• Political parties
• Elections
• Administrative divisions
• Human rights in Azerbaijan
• Foreign relations

See also:
Politics of Nagorno Karabakh

• 1 International organization participation
• 2 Countries
• 3 Information on some of the countries with which Azerbaijan maintains formal relations
  • 3.1 Europe
  • 3.2 Asia
  • 3.3 Africa
  • 3.4 North and South America
  • 3.5 Oceania
  • 3.6 No relations
• 4 Disputes
  • 4.1 Nagorno-Karabakh/Armenia
  • 4.2 Caspian Sea
• 5 See also
• 6 Further Reading
• 7 References
• 8 External links

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Vienna.
• Austria does not have an embassy or consulate in Azerbaijan.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

• Before 1918, they were part of the Russian Empire and before 1991, they were part of the Soviet Union.
• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Minsk.
• 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).
• Also Azerbaijan is a full member of the Council of Europe, Belarus is a candidate
• Belarus is a full member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Azerbaijan is an observer member.

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Brussels.
• Belgium has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Sofia.
• Bulgaria has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
• Bulgaria recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on January 14, 1992

• Croatia is represented in Azerbaijan through a non-resident ambassador based in Baku (in the Foreign Ministry).
• Croatia is represented in Azerbaijan through its embassy in Ankara (Turkey).
• Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Croatia
• Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration: list of bilateral treaties with Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Prague, opened on August 15, 2007.
• The Czech Republic has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
• The Czech Republic recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on January 8, 1992.

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Paris.
• France has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Berlin.
• Germany has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

• Greece recognized Azerbaijan's independence on December 31, 1991.
• The Greek embassy in Baku was opened in the spring of 1993.
• The embassy of Azerbaijan in Athens was opened in August 2004.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
• Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Greece

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Rome.
• Italy has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Riga.
• Latvia has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Both countries were former republics of the Soviet Union.
• Azerbaijan recognized the independence of Latvia on August 30, 1991.
• Latvia recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on January 8, 1992.
• Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijan recognized the independence of Lithuania on September 10, 1991.
• Lithuania recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on December 20, 1991.
• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Vilnius.
• Lithuania has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
• Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Cooperation with Azerbaijan
• Foreign Minister of Lithuania to pay official visit to Azerbaijan

• Russia has an embassy in Baku
• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Moscow and consulate-general in Saint Petersburg. Azerbaijan also announced that it will open another consulate-general in Yekaterinburg.

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Belgrade.
• Serbia has an embassy in Baku

• Azerbaijan has a non resident embassy in London.
• Sweden has an honorary in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Bern.
• Switzerland has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
• Switzerland considers Azerbaijan an important country for economic development cooperation.

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Kiev.
• Ukraine has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in London.
• The United Kingdom has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The neighboring nations of Armenia and Azerbaijan have had formal governmental relations since 1918. The two nations have fought two wars in 1918–20 (Armenian–Azerbaijani War) and in 1988–94 (Nagorno-Karabakh War), in the past century, with last one ended with provisional cease fire agreement signed in Bishkek. There are no formal diplomatic relations between the two countries, because of the of the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and dispute. In 2008, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev declared that “Nagorno Karabakh will never be independent; the position is backed by international mediators as well; Armenia has to accept the reality” and that “in 1918, Yerevan was granted to the Armenians. It was a great mistake. The khanate of Iravan was the Azeri territory, the Armenians were guests here”.

During the Soviet period, many Armenians and Azeris lived side by side in peace. However, when Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the policies of Glasnost and Perestroika, the majority of Armenians from the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) of the Azerbaijan SSR began a movement to unify with the Armenian SSR. In 1988, the Armenians of Karabakh voted to secede and join Armenia. This, along with mutual massacres in Azerbaijan and Armenia resulted in the conflict that became known as the Nagorno-Karabakh War. The violence resulted in de facto Armenian control of former NKAO and seven surrounding Azerbaijani regions which was effectively halted when both sides agrees to observe a cease-fire which has been in effect since May 1994, and in late 1995 both also agreed to mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group. The Minsk Group is currently co-chaired by the U.S., France, and Russia and comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and several Western European nations. Despite the cease fire, up to 40 clashes are reported along the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lines of control each year.

The two countries are still technically at war. Citizens of the Republic of Armenia, as well as citizens of any other country who are of Armenian descent, are forbidden entry to the Republic of Azerbaijan. If a person's passport shows any evidence of travel to Nagorno-Karabakh, barring a diplomatic passport, they are forbidden entry to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In 2008, in what became known as the 2008 Mardakert Skirmishes, Armenia and Azerbaijan clashed over Nagorno-Karabakh. The fighting between the two sides was brief, with few casualties on either side.

Azerbaijan formally recognizes the government of the Republic of Cyprus, as the sole representative of the island, but has not yet established diplomatic relations with Cyprus.

See Azerbaijan–Cyprus relations

Azerbaijan, like all other countries except Turkey, formally recognizes the government of the Republic of Cyprus (with whom it has not yet established diplomatic relations), which under UN and EU law represents the entire island, but interestingly enough, the parliament of Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic issued a resolution recognizing the Turkish Cypriot North (The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) as a sovereign state. While this recognition is not regarded by Azerbaijan and internationally as 'official state-to-state', Azerbaijan itself maintained cordial unofficial relations with the TRNC. In 2004, Azerbaijan threatened to formally recognize the TRNC if the Annan Plan was voted down by the Greek Cypriots (who rejected the plan in one of twin referendums held April 24, 2004 in both the Greek and Turkish zones simultaneously), but Azerbaijan backed off the threat when it was pointed out by Cyprus that doing so would be hypocritical, as a portion of its territory just like that of Cyprus itself is under occupation and would probably result in negative impact on its ongoing dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Recently, in July 2005, Azerbaijan announced its intentions to recognize TRNC passports and to commence direct flights from Baku to Ercan Airport in the TRNC (by-passing both Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus); however, aside from a flight handled by the private company Imair in August 2005, none have taken place. Azerbaijan has become very cool towards the Turkish Cypriot North, due to tensions arising from the possible normalization of diplomatic ties between Turkey and Armenia which Azerbaijan fears will mean the loss of key leverage in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Tbilisi.
• Georgia has an embassy in Baku.
• Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Tehran and a consulate-general in Tabriz.
• Iran has an embassy in Baku and a consulate-general in Nakhchivan City.
• Both countries are full members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
• Iran recognized Azerbaijan on January 4, 1992, upgraded its consulate in Baku to establish full diplomatic relations.

• Azerbaijan is one of the few majority Muslim countries besides Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and the former Soviet Central Asian republics to develop bilateral strategic and economic relations with Israel.

• Japan recognized Azerbaijan on December 28, 1991.
• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Tokyo since October 12, 2005.
• Japan has an embassy in Baku since January 21, 2000.
• Azerbaijan is a full member of the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Japan is an observer member of the CoE and a partner for co-operation of the OSCE.

• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Astana.
• Kazakhstan has an embassy in Baku since December 16, 1994.

• Pakistan was the second country to recognize Azerbaijan after Turkey.
• Pakistan is among the first countries to open an embassy in Baku.
• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Islamabad.
• Both countries are full members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
• Pakistan has accepted the Nagorno Karabagh region of Azerbaijan.
• Azerbaijan has also expressed its support for Pakistan's stand on Kashmir [2]

• The PRC recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on December 27, 1992.
• Azerbaijan has an embassy in Beijing.
• The People's Republic of China has an embassy in Baku.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC: Relations with Azerbaijan

Turkey has been a staunch supporter of Azerbaijan in its efforts to consolidate its independence, preserve its territorial integrity and realize its economic potential arising from the rich natural resources of the Caspian Sea. All this however has recently come under threat due to tensions arising from the possible normalization of diplomatic ties between Turkey and Armenia which Azerbaijan fears will mean the loss of key leverage in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

On December 25, 1991 President George H.W. Bush announced that the United States recognized the independence of all 12 former Soviet republics, including Azerbaijan.