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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms 
of the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 4.0

1 Renmin University of China, China
E-mail: gafarova.katana@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7708-597X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2024-10-5-53-63

LEGAL AND ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES  
OF THE FOREIGN POLICY OF INDEPENDENT AZERBAIJAN  

IN RELATION TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES
Katana Gafarova1

Abstract. The subject of the study is the conceptual, theoretical, empirical, methodological and applied  
foundations of the legal and economic principles of the foreign policy of independent Azerbaijan in relation to 
neighbouring countries. Methodology. General scientific and special legal methods were used in the process of 
research. The analysis determined the quantitative characteristics of the economic and legal principles of the 
foreign policy of independent Azerbaijan in relation to the neighbouring countries as a social phenomenon.  
The synthesis provided the formation of common features of the legal and economic principles of the foreign policy 
of independent Azerbaijan in relation to the neighbouring countries. The comparative legal method allowed to 
identify the characteristic similarities and differences in the international regulatory legal acts, national legislation 
in this sphere, as well as the prospects for improvement of legal regulation of such relations. The formal-legal 
method created the conditions for the formulation of conclusions on the effectiveness of measures defined by the 
international and national legislation in the field of construction of economic and legal principles of foreign policy 
of independent Azerbaijan in relation to the neighbouring countries. The purpose of the article is to define the 
economic and legal foundations of the independent Azerbaijan's foreign policy towards neighbouring countries. 
The results of the study showed that the economic and legal principles of independent Azerbaijan's foreign policy 
towards neighbouring countries are based on respect for territorial integrity, independence, national identity, 
free economic development, ensuring security and creating an image of a safe and reliable partner both within 
the Southern Transcaucasus region and beyond. Conclusion. The relationship between the economic and legal 
components in the content of the country's foreign policy activity is differentiated, where the economy acts as a 
means and functionality for the use of a certain set of resources for the production, sale, distribution and consumption 
of public goods, and the law ensures the structuring of all social phenomena according to certain rules of behaviour 
in terms of satisfying public and private interests in the context of building a compromise model of the relationship 
between them. The economic principles that underpin Azerbaijan's relations with neighbouring countries are 
predicated on geographical and geopolitical factors, which exert an indirect influence on relations in the oil and 
gas industry, the construction of transport routes and ways of moving goods, and the ensuring of the region's 
energy security and other geopolitical formations. In this context, the potential for the implementation of projects 
to create free economic zones is noted. In the economic sphere, Azerbaijan chooses the means and instruments 
of co-operation that correspond to the foundations of a civilised, market-based approach to the comprehensive 
solution of security, resource, energy and financial problems. Azerbaijan is involved in the implementation of 
many projects of security, energy and logistic nature, including "One Belt, One Road", "Belt and Road", "Middle 
Corridor", "North-South", "Crossroads of the World", etc. Among the countries occupying a dominant position in 
the world economy, Azerbaijan has developed the deepest and broadest relations with China, which is reflected in 
the relevant foreign economic projects. The legal basis of Azerbaijan's co-operation with neighbouring countries is 
determined on three levels: 1) universal international law; 2) regional international law; 3) national. The dispositive 
principles of co-operation with the EU are described in detail, with particular reference to the peculiarities of the legal 
regime established by the founding documents of this organisation and the fundamental founding agreements. 
Attention is drawn to the rather defining provisions of the intergovernmental agreements of Azerbaijan with China 
and Kazakhstan, in view of a number of common interests in the field of security, energy independence, logistics 
and other areas of the economy. The potential for the advancement of such relations is acknowledged, with the 



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premise of exponential diversification being established as a foundation. This diversification is characterised by the 
acceleration of the non-oil sector, irrespective of the magnitude of oil revenues, and the integration of information 
and communication technologies across various societal domains.

Keywords: legal and economic framework, foreign policy, neighbouring countries, international co-operation, 
security environment, logistics.

JEL Classification: F53, K00, P00

1. Introduction
Modern socio-economic, geopolitical, legal and  

other processes are tectonic phenomena in the 
epistemological formation and development of 
humanity, which is mediated by the prerequisites 
of a domestic and foreign political nature. These 
prerequisites are formed in society both at the level 
of ethnic groups, peoples and nations, and at the level 
of regional and global international formations of an 
interstate and supranational nature.

It is evident that establishing analogies between the 
organism of human society and the human organism 
itself is a fruitful endeavour. Such analogies highlight 
the existence of a functional and organic dependence, 
whereby the circulatory system of society is analogous 
to the economy and the corresponding economic 
institutions, and the nervous system is analogous to the 
corresponding legal system. In this analogy, doctrinal 
approaches, particularly the rule of law and the primacy 
of human rights, are considered to form the vegetative 
subsystem. It is reasonable to conclude that such  
a model of social existence is acceptable, given the 
essence of the economy as a means and functionality 
for using a certain resource toolkit for the production, 
sale, distribution and consumption of public goods. 
Similarly, the law can be considered a sphere of 
structuring all social phenomena according to certain 
rules of behaviour in terms of satisfying public and 
private interests. In this way, a compromise model of the 
relationship between these two spheres can be built.

The social existence of individuals and communities 
within the framework of national or international 
economic and legal regimes is subject to certain rules 
and laws, which are reflected in the various aspects  
of the activity of the relevant state. Furthermore, 
geopolitical phenomena of regional and global 
significance exert a substantial influence on such 
processes, with the former exerting a more pronounced 
impact on the economic and legal vectors of 
development for a given society in the near future.  
This is precisely what justifies the priority of 
determining the influence on Azerbaijan in this study of 
neighbouring countries. Concurrently, it is lamentable 
that the utilisation of proxy technologies from the 
technical (ip) sphere has attained a considerable degree 
of notoriety in the contemporary world. The essence 
of these technologies pertains to the employment  

of the proxy model, whereby a subject operates, to 
a certain extent, in the economic, political, and legal 
domains, whether consciously or subconsciously, in 
accordance with the prevailing level of development  
and the hierarchy of foreign policy relations, for the 
benefit of another subject. These entities can be both 
regional and global actors within the international 
market and the broader foreign policy and legal 
landscape.

Azerbaijan is a modern, civilised country that 
combines a deep-rooted cultural heritage with  
modern interests of an internal and external nature. 
The foreign relations of Azerbaijan are significantly 
influenced by its close proximity and historical 
connections with neighbouring countries, including 
Iran, Russia, Georgia, and Armenia. Concurrently, 
relations with such global subjects of international law 
as the EU, China, and the USA are no less significant, 
which are manifested in direct relations with  
Azerbaijan and indirect relations with neighbouring 
countries that have chosen the appropriate vector 
of economic relations and the implementation of  
certain principles of social existence.

The present study builds upon earlier research in 
this area, which has examined the legal and economic 
foundations of the foreign policy of independent 
Azerbaijan towards neighbouring countries in these 
dimensions. In particular, among the studies of the 
economic direction of this sphere of relations, it is 
necessary to note the works devoted to: the influence 
of the Chinese economy on the global and national 
systems (Huang, 2016), China's relations with the 
Transcaucasian republics (Mokretskii, 2020), in the 
context of the strategic partnership with Israel and 
Iran (Souleimanov, Ehrmann, Aliyev, 2014), bilateral 
relations between Azerbaijan and Iran (Rustamova, 
2018), trade relations between Azerbaijan and 
Kazakhstan (Kerchelaev, 2023), the oil determinant in 
relations with Russia ( Jabbarov, 2022), trade aspects of 
relations with Georgia (Quliyev, Abesadze, Abesadze, 
Amanova, 2019), the energy component of economic 
relations between Azerbaijan and the EU (Ultan, 
Saygin, 2022), economic partnership in the framework  
of US-Azerbaijan relations (Garashova, 2023).

In the legal sphere, Azerbaijan's relations with 
neighbouring countries and some other countries of 
global status were considered from the perspective 
of: the development of relations between the  



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Baltic and Black Sea countries (Marshania, 2011), EU 
co-operation with the countries of the Black Sea region 
(Golovko-Gavrysheva, 2013), general legal principles of 
the functioning of international organisations with the 
participation of Azerbaijan (Zinko, Baikovsky, 2015), 
deepening of international co-operation between 
Azerbaijan and the EU, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine 
(Kyrylko, 2021), bilateral relations between Ukraine 
and Azerbaijan with regard to regional co-operation 
(Baba-zadeh, 2024).

The aforementioned works rightly emphasise the 
importance of combining the economic and legal 
factors in the implementation of international relations 
of Azerbaijan with neighbouring countries and 
countries that play an important role in determining 
the geopolitical directions of the country's progressive 
movement in the modern civilized world. Therefore, 
they are relevant for further scientific explorations.

2. The Economic Factor  
in the Formation of Azerbaijan's Relations  
with Neighboring Countries

The economic prerequisites for the formation and 
development of each country are interconnected with 
a number of factors of different genesis, where the 
geographical and geopolitical location of the territory 
of this state is significant. In the latter area, the issue of 
the presence of neighbouring countries that directly  
affect all spheres of life of the state under consideration, or 
are the object of influence of other countries of a global 
geopolitical nature, is worthy of attention.

For Azerbaijan, in the context of the above, relations 
with neighbouring countries Iran, Russia, Georgia, 
Armenia are significant, some of which claim to 
be leaders of a regional or global scale, as well as  
relations with countries from among the global  
players in the international arena, such as the EU,  
China and the USA.

The economic statistics of Azerbaijan are typically 
formulated with reference to the indicators of 
neighbouring countries, where the economic results 

of the countries of Transcaucasia are particularly 
comparable. Azerbaijan has occupied a relatively 
prominent place during the period of independence, 
distinguished by exponential GDP growth, which in 
2021 had the structure shown in Figure 1 (Economy of 
Azerbaijan, 2024).

The prevailing perception of Azerbaijan is  
inextricably linked to its status as a prominent player 
in the global oil and gas industry. This economic 
dominance, in turn, exerts a significant influence on 
the formulation of the country's foreign policy and 
its economic interactions with other actors in the 
international arena.

A thorough examination of the published  
"Azerbaijan 2020: Look into the Future" Concept of 
Development indicates the following transformations 
in the field of geopolitical directions of development 
of Azerbaijan, where economic foundations occupy 
a prominent place (Concept of Development, 
2020). The document under consideration proposes 
the determination of an optimal combination of 
opportunities and resources as a strategic message for 
the development of the country. The purpose of this 
combination is to achieve sustainable development and 
high social well-being, effective public administration 
and the rule of law, ensuring all human rights and 
freedoms, and forming an active status of civil society 
in public life. Concurrently, a pivotal catalyst for 
the advancement of the Azerbaijani economy is its 
exponential diversification, predicated on ensuring 
elevated development of the non-oil sector, irrespective 
of the magnitude of oil revenues.

It is projected that the full and most effective  
use of economic, social and political resources will 
be made for the development of energy, transport, 
transit and logistics infrastructure. This suggests 
the continuation of the development of the non-oil 
sector, which is mediated by the widespread use of 
progressive forms of management and management  
in general, and in this area in particular. It is imperative  
to acknowledge the significance of enhancing the 

Figure 1

 

41,6

10,1
7 6,4 4,9

30

0
5

10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45

Іndustry Trade Transport Agriculture Construction Other

Percent



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logistics model within the Azerbaijani economic 
development framework. This enhancement 
encompasses the development of international 
transport corridors, namely Europe-Caucasus-Asia  
and North-South, which play a pivotal role in  
facilitating trade and economic growth. Of particular 
importance in the structure of the development of 
the economic model of Azerbaijani society is the 
introduction of information and communication 
technologies into various spheres of life. This, among 
other things, creates the prerequisites for accelerating 
and improving international foreign economic  
relations with both neighbouring countries and other 
states. The latter is positioned in the aforementioned 
document as a means of establishing new standards 
of international trade, competition, and intellectual 
property, and of involving international organisations 
and relevant formations at the global and regional  
levels in this process, in which neighbouring countries 
have a rightful place.

At the same time, the key to Azerbaijan's  
development is to prevent the country from becoming 
a raw material appendage of the world economy in 
the medium and long term and to ensure the growth 
of its economy on an innovative basis. Among the 
priority areas of foreign economic co-operation, the 
development concept proposes to consider, through 
the prism of the globalisation of the world economy, 
the issues of developing multifaceted relations with 
neighbouring countries, in particular, through the 
formation and expansion of the work of regional 
economic unions and the so-called power economic 
centres, including the EU, the USA and China. 

A thorough analysis of scientific research indicates 
the following patterns and features of foreign  
economic relations that take place in the context of 
the subject of this work. In the foreign policy sphere, 
the following issues are proposed to be distinguished 
as the primary tasks: the active utilisation of "energy 
diplomacy", the positioning of Azerbaijan as a leading 
country in the South Caucasus, the promotion of 
national interests through the primary utilisation of 
oil and gas resources, and the transformation of the 
country into a regional energy centre by means of 
the intensification of the energy sector within the  
structure of the national industry (Tkachenko, 2021). 
Evidently, this concept is to a certain degree indirectly 
associated with the findings of the Concept of 
Development analysis previously conducted. However, 
it is wholly consistent with the foreign economic 
policies of nations of a global scale, as evidenced  
by the examples of the United Arab Emirates and the 
Russian Federation. 

Concurrently, F. R. Jabbarov draws attention to the 
prevailing sphere in the foreign economic relations 
of the Russian Federation with Azerbaijan, namely  
the oil determinant in historical retrospect, which 

certainly influenced the tangle of problems that  
to some extent played a role in the formation and 
development of the Azerbaijani economy ( Jabbarov, 
2022). This is attributable to two factors. Firstly, the 
primary consumer of Baku oil in both the past and 
present is the specified country. Secondly, there is 
a model for using the logistics of oil pipelines built in 
Soviet times. This model is based on the geographical 
location of Azerbaijan and the geopolitical architecture 
of the arrangement of regional foreign economic 
relations.

Moreover, there are assessments that rightly  
highlight in the relations between the Russian  
Federation and Azerbaijan precisely the interdependent 
factors based on the joint use of certain energy  
logistics hubs that were created during the joint 
existence of the Soviet country. In addition, the  
location of Azerbaijan next to a part of the Russian 
Federation in the European part of the continent and 
the presence of a corresponding array of resources 
mediate the formation of the roots of a competitive 
environment in which the economies of both countries 
develop as sources of resource supply for the EU, 
primarily in the oil and gas sector (Ultan, Saygin, 
2022). In today's conditions, the issue of diversification 
of energy resources has emerged on a new level, 
mediated by centres of instability caused by a number 
of factors, among which the Russian-Ukrainian war 
occupies a leading place as a factor of existential threat 
at the regional and global levels. In such circumstances, 
there are circumstances of undersupply or complete 
disruption of the supply of oil and gas resources through 
the traditional logistical routes from the Russian 
Federation and Azerbaijan to the EU. In this respect, 
it is correct to consider Azerbaijan as an alternative 
to the import of natural gas to Europe, where the 
political and economic benefits of this for the EU and  
Azerbaijan can be clearly traced, as well as ensuring the 
EU's energy security along the US-Russian axis, which 
significantly undermines the energy dependence of 
European countries on the latter.

Azerbaijan's economic co-operation with Georgia 
is of significance, manifesting in a multifaceted 
manner. Concurrently, a notable increase in trade 
turnover is observed in the export and import sectors, 
with notable items including alcoholic beverages, 
potatoes, fruits, ferroalloys and soft drinks (Quliyev, 
Abesadze, Abesadze, Amanova, 2019). In the context 
of the aforementioned co-operation, it is imperative 
to acknowledge the implementation of individual  
logistics projects, such as the Trans-Caspian 
international transport route, and the establishment  
of an alternative to Russian logistics corridors,  
including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Among the countries of Central Asia, the most 
extensive co-operation has been experienced with 
relations with Kazakhstan, which is argued to be both 



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a logical conclusion and a justifiable one, given its 
geographical location and the presence of common 
interests related to the realization of the largest 
hydrocarbon reserves in the region. In particular, such 
relations have found justification in the context of 
the utilisation of the Caspian Sea reserves, as well as 
the construction and implementation of a number of 
transport logistics routes. These include the Europe-
Caucasus-Asia branch of the New Silk Road, the  
Trans-Caspian international transport route, the 
North-South route with ferry crossings between both 
countries, and the introduction and implementation 
of free economic zones, such as the Aktau Sea Port. 
As Kerchelaev (2023) argue, co-operation in the field 
of agriculture between these countries is of equal 
importance.

According to certain researchers, Azerbaijani-
Iranian relations in the economic sphere are projected 
through certain foreign policy contradictions,  
which are mediated by the polar demarcation of the 
Azerbaijani-Israeli partnership and the hostile policy 
that takes place in the relations between Iran and  
Israel (Souleimanov, Ehrmann, Aliyev, 2014). This 
approach is supported by a number of rational 
considerations. However, when viewed through the  
lens of the economic component and cultural 
combination of the achievements of the Iranian and 
Azerbaijani peoples, it is clear that a certain degree 
of moderation is required. This is particularly true 
when taking into account certain positive trends in 
the relations between these countries. This point was 
emphasised by Z. Rustamova (2018), who identified 
areas of economic co-operation between Azerbaijan 
and Iran, including electricity exchange, transport, 
agriculture, tourism, security, environment, and 
infrastructure. An additional prerequisite for the 
development of the above-mentioned relations was the 
creation of a means of resolving various geopolitical  
and regional contradictions, which should be 
represented by multilateral foreign economic activity, 
which is a noteworthy alternative to various types of 
sanctions as a mechanism for influencing a subject of 
international law. Since any radical means, including 
economic ones, create preconditions for the onset of 
domestic or foreign policy crises, which may result 
in radical mechanisms of influence on other subjects  
of international law, which does not always have 
a positive outcome.

A comprehensive and systematic approach to the 
study of the nature of foreign economic relations 
between Azerbaijan and Iran is the approach  
that contrasts the informal union India-Armenia-Iran 
with another informal union Pakistan-Azerbaijan-
Turkey. Moreover, in this context, the influence of 
the Israeli-Iranian relations on the corresponding  
relations between Azerbaijan and Iran is again 
highlighted, where attention is paid to satisfying the 

main needs of Israel in oil products precisely at the 
expense of Azerbaijani resources. Simultaneously, 
the suboptimal institutional level of Azerbaijani-
Iranian relations is accentuated, encompassing the 
economic domain. This shift can be attributed to the 
meeting of the leaders of both states in early 2023.  
In terms of the future development of these relations, 
a position is articulated on the construction and 
implementation of the international transport corridor 
"North-South", in which Azerbaijan and Iran constitute 
a pivotal link. One of the phases of the implementation 
of this project is identified as the construction  
of the Zangezur corridor (Aghazadeh, 2024).

Since independence, relations between Azerbaijan 
and the United States have been structured around 
the oil and gas industry in the structure of economic 
relations. At the same time, such co-operation was aimed 
at expanding Azerbaijan's co-operation with Western  
oil companies, forming a Western direction of 
hydrocarbon exports of this republic, preserving 
the international legal status of the Caspian Sea and 
developing its resources, and providing the USA, 
represented by private companies, with access to 
Azerbaijan's oil fields. The above is related to the 
existing competition policy of the USA and the Russian 
Federation in terms of forming an energy corridor 
outside and directly through the Russian territory, 
respectively. In connection with the above, the USA 
was seen as a guarantor of preserving Azerbaijan's 
independence and attracting additional investments 
into its economy in the oil sector of the country's 
economy (Markova, 2021). Garashova's position on 
this matter is consistent with the aforementioned 
considerations, with the author highlighting four 
distinct periods of co-operation between the countries 
in question. Each of these periods is characterised 
by its own notable features. The period from 
1991 to 2001 was characterised by the formulation of  
numerous ambitious plans, including those of an 
economic nature, particularly the establishment of 
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. However, priority 
was accorded to political objectives related to the 
dissemination of democracy and the protection of 
human rights. From 2001 to 2007, economic factors 
were accorded greater priority, particularly with 
regard to the implementation of the Baku-Tbilisi-
Ceyhan pipeline project. The period from 2007 to 
2015 was characterised by a shift in focus from energy 
and security issues, with democracy and human 
rights once again becoming a priority. And finally,  
in the period from 2015 to 2020, the US policy in 
relations with Azerbaijan was implemented under 
the influence of the unconventional gas revolution, as 
a result of the cooling of interest in traditional sources 
of hydrocarbons, the decline in the importance of 
Central Asia, the spread of isolationism, and so forth 
(Garashova, 2023).



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The most significant influence on the economic 

development of Azerbaijan was exerted by China, 
which has been conquering economic markets at 
the global and regional levels by leaps and bounds in  
recent decades. This is especially true when considering 
China's geographical location and transport and 
logistics routes that lead from this country to the 
West, including by involving the relevant capabilities 
of Azerbaijan. It is important to note that researchers  
have drawn attention to certain components of 
Azerbaijan that give it an advantage in its co-operation 
with China. These components include its geographical 
location, natural resource and economic potential. 
Azerbaijan is distinguished from other South Caucasus 
countries by its access to the Caspian Sea, a relatively 
abundant source of hydrocarbons and a pivotal 
logistical hub connecting Europe with China and  
South Asia, and Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Asia 
Minor with Europe. In the context of the second, 
Azerbaijan concentrates approximately 11% of the gas 
and 14% of the oil resources of the Caspian region, 
which allows it to occupy twentieth place among 
133 other states in terms of potential oil production. 
When the third factor is taken into consideration, 
Azerbaijan's current trends in GDP growth are notable, 
distinguishing it from other countries in the region. 
Azerbaijan's potential for co-operation in the economic 
sphere with a global state such as China is promising 
(Liuyin, 2019). 

It should be noted that in studies of the ways of 
economic co-operation between these two countries,  
the construction of logistics of goods circulation 
occupies one of the leading places. This was a  
prerequisite for building a structure of three pairs of 
relations China-Azerbaijan, China-Armenia, China-
Georgia in the sphere of development of relations 
with the republics of Transcaucasia (Mokretskii, 
2020). Firstly, the aforementioned relations are in full 
accordance with the ideology of the foreign policy 
course "community of a common destiny for mankind" 
implemented by China, which to a certain extent 
correlates with its desire to incorporate the entire 
Southern Transcaucasia into its geopolitical orbit by 
ensuring the implementation of the global project  
"One Belt, One Road" or the initiative platform  
"Belt and Road". Secondly, such relations engender 
competitive foundations in the implementation of the 
logistics routes of the "Middle Corridor" as the only 
alternative to the Trans-Siberian Railway, lobbied 
by Azerbaijan, and the "Ice Silk Road" as a means 
of diversifying trade routes in China's field of vision  
and constructing the initiative platform "Belt and 
Road". Thirdly, as part of the diversification of trade 
and transport routes, such promising programmes 
for the development of relevant infrastructure in the  
region are being implemented as the North-South 
project, which is essentially a component of the global 

One Belt, One Road project and is more in line with 
Azerbaijan's interests, and the Crossroads of the World 
programme, which provides for the connection of 
the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Black,  
Caspian and Mediterranean Seas by a single regional 
railway network and North-South and East-West  
routes, which reflects Armenia's interests to a greater 
extent.

It is evident from the extant literature on the  
economic foundations of the foreign policy of 
independent Azerbaijan in relation to neighbouring 
countries and individual countries that are economic 
powerhouses, such as China, the EU, and the USA,  
that there are signs of a progressive movement in 
improving the quantitative and qualitative indicators 
of such co-operation. This improvement ensures 
the economic interests of Azerbaijan as a prominent 
subject of regional policy in the South Caucasus and 
international relations in the geopolitical dimension.

3. Legal Principles of the Foreign Policy  
of Independent Azerbaijan in Relation  
to Neighboring Countries

In the context of the content of this part of the 
work, it is worth paying attention once again to the 
rather relative nature of the understanding of regional 
and global relations. The advent of a certain level  
of global human development has resulted in the 
establishment of the foundations for the direct or 
indirect influence of subjects of international law  
on the relevant states, even at the regional level (for 
example, the above-mentioned model using proxy 
technologies). Consequently, the consideration of 
relations in the legal plane should be approached with 
a view that extends beyond the borders of regional 
neighbouring countries and also to neighbouring 
countries, which are such indirectly through the 
formation of geopolitical power poles, including the 
above-mentioned countries, which are economic  
power centres, for example China, the EU and the USA.

In light of the contemporary epoch, characterised  
by the transition to a post-industrial or information 
society, and the profound integration of all facets  
of life at both global and regional levels, the 
implementation of legal standards and doctrines through 
the designated law-making and law-enforcement 
mechanisms has become imperative. Consequently,  
the prevailing legal principles governing these 
relationships are shaped within the multifaceted 
domain of global, regional, and national law-making 
and law-enforcement activities. That is why, obviously, 
the model of building the legal framework for co-
operation between the above-mentioned countries in 
terms of three levels is more acceptable: 1) universal 
international law; 2) regional international law;  
3) national law.



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In this context, the issue of Azerbaijan's involvement 

in the activities of relevant international organisations 
is evidently significant. It is important to note that this 
country seeks to derive certain positive benefits not 
from its participation in large associations under the 
auspices of strong and influential states, but through 
co-operation in certain international organisations to 
ensure the successful implementation of its national 
interests. The most prevalent of these interests are 
ensuring security, territorial integrity and establishing 
harmonious and beneficial economic relations (Zinko, 
Baikovsky, 2015). Moreover, the key factors in 
implementing a foreign policy course with a suitable 
legal foundation are the presence of substantial energy 
reserves, along with the unique characteristics of the 
geopolitical and logistical position. These elements 
establish the foundations for collaboration with the 
EU and other international economic and political 
organisations. The aforementioned correspondence 
is in accordance with the progressive steps in joining 
international organisations, such as the Council 
of Europe and the OSCE, which is reflected in the 
progressive actions of the state leadership, such as the 
signing by the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev 
of the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement  
between the EU and Azerbaijan. The aforementioned 
agreement is manifest in such areas as: joint  
dialogue and reforms; the sphere of justice, freedom 
and security; economic and social reforms, poverty 
reduction and sustainable development; development 
of the transport, energy and environmental sectors; 
establishment of direct contacts between people, 
training, reform of the healthcare sector, and cultural 
co-operation.

Given the subject of this study, it is evident that the 
second level is more acceptable and optimal, which 
to some extent correlates with the first and has the 
appropriate relevance in relation to the latter, since it 
is about the perception of the obligations undertaken  
in the relevant co-operation by national legislation.

Consequently, the extant research conducted on 
this issue has identified the geopolitical and strategic 
measures that are imperative for Azerbaijan, which 
are being implemented in the relevant organisational 
and legal projects of the EU. Of particular note is the 
progressive movement of this geopolitical entity  
towards expansion in the direct and indirect senses, 
as reflected in the European Commission of the EU's 
message entitled "Wider Europe – Neighbourhood: 
A New Framework for Relations with our Eastern 
and Southern Neighbours", the purpose of which  
is to establish a zone of prosperity and good 
neighbourliness. This message provides for the 
introduction of a novel instrument in the foreign policy 
sphere of the EU's relations with other countries. This 
instrument is termed the "European Neighbourhood 
Policy", which takes a rather differentiated approach to 

building such relations. This approach takes into account 
the economic potential, level of democratisation, and 
foreign economic priorities of a particular counterparty. 
Azerbaijan is a participant in the "Eastern Partnership" 
project with EU countries, along with Belarus, Georgia, 
Moldova, Ukraine, and Armenia. The organisational  
and legal underpinnings of this co-operation are rooted  
in the policy framework of the Pan-European  
Partnership, which does not necessitate membership. 
This framework is facilitated by the EU's existing 
achievements in pivotal areas such as political stability, 
democracy, the economy, the rule of law, and the 
well-being of the population. The legal basis of these 
relations is rightly emphasised, and it is distinguished 
by its dispositivity, which is manifested in the 
recommendatory nature of the relevant regulatory 
acts and the legislative regulation of only the financing 
mechanism of the relevant projects (Levytskyi,  
Kuzma, 2017).

It is imperative to acknowledge the universal  
nature of the regulatory requirements stipulated within 
the Treaty on the European Union. According to  
Article 21 of this treaty, the promotion of democratic 
principles, the rule of law, the universality and 
indivisibility of human rights and fundamental 
freedoms, respect for human dignity, equality and 
solidarity, compliance with the principles of the  
UN Charter and international law are identified as 
the primary objectives of the EU's co-operation with 
other subjects of international law (The Treaty on 
European Union, 2012). This collaborative framework 
has contributed to the establishment of various foreign 
policy initiatives, among which are the aforementioned 
projects.

No less important for the development of the EU's 
international relations is the content of the Treaty 
on the Functioning of the EU, which sets out the 
legal principles for relations with other states and 
international organisations in the relevant areas.  
At the same time, the main message in such relations 
is the content of Art. 3 of this Treaty, according to 
which such activities are based on compliance with 
the principle of limited powers, which authorises the 
EU to achieve its objectives in accordance with the 
requirements of the constituent acts (The Treaty on the 
Functioning of the European Union, 2012).

The study of the legal framework for EU co-operation 
with the Black Sea countries made it possible to 
distinguish between legal forms of co-operation and 
corresponding institutional forms of co-operation.  
The formation of international organisations at 
the regional level was noted separately, such as the 
Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation, 
which brings together Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, 
Armenia, Greece, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, the 
Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine and Serbia. Within 
the framework of this organisation, an organisational 



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and legal basis for the development of trade, economic 
relations, banking and finance, communications, 
energy, transport, agriculture, etc. has been created. 
This organisation implements the above-mentioned 
directions both within the framework of the relevant 
legal provisions and additional agreements as a subject 
of international law. It is evident that the undertakings 
of this organisation constituted the foundation for 
the execution of the projects entitled "Program for 
the Promotion of Trade and Investment in the Black 
Sea Region" and FAO (Project on Promoting the 
Development of Relations in the Field of Trade in 
Agricultural Products). It is also necessary to note 
the position supported in the literature, according to 
which a significant component of rule-making activity, 
including in the field of foreign policy relations, is 
the case law of the European Court of Justice, which 
is coordinated with the relevant agreements on 
partnership and association of the EU with certain 
countries (Golovko-Gavrysheva, 2013).

The approach that focuses on the formation and 
implementation of the concept of "indivisibility of 
security" is relevant and quite thorough. The content of 
this concept is manifested in guaranteeing the absence 
of threats not only to the EU, but also to neighbouring 
countries, among which, along with Azerbaijan, 
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are considered.  
The establishment of the interstate regional  
association GUAM was predicated on the formation 
of a coalition of states with analogous political and 
economic priorities in the international arena, thereby 
engendering a counteraction to the influence of 
the Russian Federation in the international arena.  
The above became the basis for formulating the 
following components in the content of relations to 
ensure security on the territory of the above countries 
in co-operation with the EU, namely: strengthening 
the security component in the area of political  
co-operation; conflict resolution on the territories of 
these states; development of effective mechanisms 
of interaction in the sphere of migration; formation 
of basic principles of co-operation in the area of  
economic security (Kyrylko, 2021).

The legal basis for co-operation between  
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is reflected primarily in the 
Declaration on Relations of Friendship and Strategic 
Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan  
and the Republic of Kazakhstan, which was signed by 
President Ilham Aliyev. This document determined the 
directions for the implementation of the Baku-Tbilisi-
Ceyhan project and possible options for resolving 
the Karabakh conflict (Kerchelaev, 2023). Such 
documentation encompasses protocols and accords 
pertaining to the domains of civil aviation, scientific 
and technical collaboration, and other pertinent areas 
(Kerchelaev, 2023).

A significant focus in scientific research is on the 
issue of legal support and the corresponding political 
and economic environment for the development of 
relations between Ukraine and Azerbaijan (Baba-
zadeh, 2024). In addition to the aforementioned, it is 
imperative to acknowledge the security foundations 
underpinning the establishment of such relations, 
which are associated with a congruent approach to the 
restoration of geopolitical justice against the backdrop 
of direct or covert aggression against the territories of 
both countries. In this context, it is noteworthy that 
Azerbaijan's assertive policy has yielded a favourable 
outcome in the restoration of the status quo regarding 
Nagorno-Karabakh. In addition, it is pertinent to 
emphasise the regulatory and legal foundations 
underpinning the development of international relations 
between Ukraine and Azerbaijan in the domains of 
security and economics. This is exemplified by the 
Communication Black Sea Synergy – A New Regional 
Co-operation Initiative (2007), Joint Declaration of 
Prague Eastern Partnership Summit (2009), Joint 
Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit (2017).

Relations between Azerbaijan and China are 
conducted within the framework of ensuring the  
security sphere and developing the economies of 
both countries, which is reflected in the progressive 
implementation of the policy of national unity and 
combating any manifestations of separatism and 
terrorism. Among the legal bases of such co-operation,  
it is worth mentioning the adoption of the Joint 
Declaration on the establishment of strategic 
partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and 
the People's Republic of China within the framework 
of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation Summit.  
The relevant regulatory legal act is the Law of the 
Republic of Azerbaijan dated June 14, 2005 on 
Approval of the Agreement on Trade and Economic 
Co-operation between the Government of the 
Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the 
People's Republic of China, the Law of the Republic 
of Azerbaijan dated March 24, 2000 on Accession to 
the Agreement with Reservation "On International 
Road Transport" between the Government of the 
Republic, Uzbekistan, the Government of the People's 
Republic of China and the Government of the Kyrgyz 
Republic, the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated  
February 1, 2016 on Approval of the Joint Declaration 
on Further Development and Deepening of Relations 
of Friendship and Co-operation between the Republic 
of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China.  
It is worth noting the above-mentioned projects,  
which have been established by the People's Republic 
of China with the appropriate legal basis, namely  
"One Belt, One Road", "Shanghai Co-operation 
Organisation", the establishment and operation of the 
Silk Road International Co-operation Organisation 



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through the differentiation of the joint projects of 
the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and the "21st Century 
Maritime Silk Road" (Gafarova, 2024).

In the context of the legal bases underpinning 
Azerbaijan's co-operation with neighbouring  
countries, it is imperative to acknowledge the  
significance of the industry-specific regulatory 
framework. This framework is articulated within  
various regional international treaties and conventions, 
with the Eurasian Patent Convention being 
a notable exemplar. The participating countries of this 
convention, in addition to Azerbaijan, include Ukraine, 
Tajikistan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and the Russian Federation.  
The scientific position that characterises this document 
as fundamental in the field of creating a regional  
patent protection system, which has the right to exist 
alongside the same American and European systems in 
this area, deserves support (Spesyvtseva, 2023).

The considerations expressed in this section of the 
work provided an opportunity to differentiate the  
legal foundations of Azerbaijan's international  
relations with neighbouring countries. This enabled the 
drawing of certain conclusions regarding the existing 
static and dynamic parameters of the current state and 
forecasting the further development of such relations.  
It is evident that such relations are determined  
primarily by geopolitical factors of a security and 
economic nature.

4. Conclusions
Consequently, the examination of the legal and 

economic foundations of the foreign policy of 
independent Azerbaijan in relation to neighbouring 
countries engendered the prerequisites for the 
identification of the following patterns, characteristic 
features and directions for the further development of 
such activities of the state.

The relationship between the economic and legal 
components in the content of the country's foreign 
policy activity is differentiated, where the economy 
acts as a means and functionality for using a certain 
resource toolkit for the production, sale, distribution 
and consumption of public goods, and the law ensures 
the structuring of all social phenomena according  
to certain rules of behaviour in terms of satisfying 
public and private interests in the context  
of building a compromise model of the relationship 
between these.

In the context of international co-operation, relations 
with neighbouring countries, as well as global powers 
such as the EU, China and the USA, are of particular 
significance. At the same time, relations with the latter 
are characterised by direct and indirect interaction 
through the model of proxy technologies, with the 

involvement of various instruments of foreign policy 
activity.

The economic underpinnings of Azerbaijan's 
interactions with its neighbouring nations are  
predicated on geographical and geopolitical factors, 
which exert an indirect influence on the oil and gas 
industry, the construction of transport infrastructure, 
the facilitation of goods movement, the assurance 
of regional energy security, and other geopolitical 
formations. In this context, the potential for the 
implementation of projects aimed at establishing 
free economic zones was identified. In the economic 
sphere, Azerbaijan selects means and instruments  
of co-operation that would meet the foundations 
of a civilized, market approach to comprehensively  
solving problems in the security, resource, energy and 
financial spheres.

Azerbaijan is currently engaged in the implementation 
of numerous projects of a security, energy and logistics 
nature, including "One Belt, One Road", "Belt and 
Road", "Middle Corridor", "North-South", "Crossroads 
of the World", and others. Azerbaijan's foreign  
economic relations are most extensive with China, 
a country that is also a key participant in the 
aforementioned foreign economic projects.

The legal basis of Azerbaijan's co-operation with 
neighbouring countries is defined in terms of three 
levels: 1) universal international law; 2) regional 
international law; 3) national law.

With regard to the first and second levels, the most 
optimal model of building international relations for 
Azerbaijan is formed through participation in various 
international organisations, where the country's 
desire to gain certain positive outcomes is evident.  
However, this is not achieved through participation 
in large associations under the auspices of strong  
and influential states. Instead, the most effective 
approach is to co-operate in certain international 
organisations to ensure the successful implementation 
of national interests, among which the most prevalent 
are ensuring security, territorial integrity and 
establishing harmonious and beneficial economic 
relations. In consideration of the aforementioned 
 points, a more detailed description of individual 
international organisations that ensure relations with 
neighbouring countries and the EU, the USA, and 
China is provided.

The dispositive principles of co-operation with 
the EU are described in more detail, with particular 
reference to the features of the legal regime established 
by the founding documents of this organisation  
and the fundamental founding agreements. Of particular 
note are the provisions of the intergovernmental 
agreements between Azerbaijan and China, as well 
as those with Kazakhstan, which reflect a number of  
shared interests in the fields of security, energy 



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independence, logistics and other areas of the economy.

In this study, the legal aspects of the prospective 
development of Azerbaijan are examined. It is 
acknowledged that this will have an impact on 
international relations, and therefore the relevant 
programme principles are taken into consideration.  
The issue of the optimal combination of opportunities 
and resources is highlighted, under which it is  
possible to achieve sustainable development and 
high social well-being, effective public administration 
and the rule of law, ensuring all human rights and  
freedoms, and the formation of an active status of 
civil society in public life. Concurrently, exponential 

diversification is regarded as the fundamental principle, 
with the objective being to ensure the accelerated 
development of the non-oil sector, irrespective of 
the level of oil revenues, and the implementation 
of information and communication technologies in 
diverse societal domains.

Consequently, the issue of examining the legal 
and economic foundations of the foreign policy of 
independent Azerbaijan in relation to neighbouring 
countries is of great importance for the structuring 
of relevant international relations, which in turn will 
further update research in this area using the results of 
this work.

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Received on: 10th of October, 2024
Accepted on: 28th of November, 2024
Published on: 30th of December, 2024