BILATERAL RELATIONS

Brief historical information on diplomatic relations

The Republic of Croatia recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 28 December 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 26 January 1995.

The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Republic of Croatia has began functioning since February 2011. On 17 March 2011, Ambassador Mr. Kamil Khasiyev presented to the President of the Republic of Croatia H.E. Mr. Ivo Josipović his credentials as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Croatia. Interim Office of the Republic of Croatia to the Republic of Azerbaijan was opened in 2011.

Several high-level mutual visits have been held since, including the official visits of President of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev to Croatia in 2005, 2013 and 2018, and the state visits to Azerbaijan of President of Croatia H.E. Mr.Stjepan Mesić in 2007, President H.E. Mr. Ivo Josipovic in 2012 and President K.G.Kitarovic in 2016.

A number of bilateral agreements has been signed in all areas of cooperation and laid a solid basement for further strengthening of relations between our two countries.  “Zagreb Declaration on strategic partnership and friendly relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Croatia” was signed in March 11, 2013 is a bright mark of the successful cooperation between the both countries.

High-level mutual visits:

Head of state:

10-12 June 2005 – an official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev to the Republic of Croatia;

2-3 October 2007 – an official visit of the President of the Republic of Croatia H.E. Mr. Stjepan Mesić to the Republic of Azerbaijan;

12-13 March 2012 – an official visit of the President of the Republic of Croatia H.E. Mr. Ivo Josipović to the Republic of Azerbaijan;

11-12 March 2013 – an official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev to the Republic of Croatia

24-25 October 2016 -an official visit of the President of the Republic of Croatia H.E. Mrs. Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic to the Republic of Azerbaijan

05-06 September 2018 - an official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev to the Republic of Croatia

 

Ministers:

4-6 September 2007 -  an official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov to the Republic of Croatia;

5 November 2012 – an official visit of the Minister of Economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Shahin Mustafayev to Republic of Croatia;

6-8 February 2013 – an official visit of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Croatia Mr. Ante Kotromanović to the Republic of Azerbaijan;

17-20 May  2014 – an official visit of the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Croatia Mr. Orsat  Miljenic to Republic of Azerbaijan;

23-30 October 2014 – an official visit of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Mrs. Vesna Pusic to Republic of Azerbaijan;

10-12 March 2015 – an official visit of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Zakir Hasanov to the Republic of Croatia;

07-08 July 2015 -  an official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov to the Republic of Croatia.

15-16 July 2016 – an official visit of the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Fikrat Mammadov to Republic of Croatia;

5-16 October 2018 - working visit of the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Fikrat Mammadov to Republic of Croatia;

20 February 2019 – visit of the Minister of Environment and Energy of the Republic of Croatia Mr Tomislav Ćorić

29 April 2019 - an official visit of the Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić 

 

Inter - parliamentary relations:

4 - 7 July 2013 – an official visit of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament H.E. Mr. Josip Leko to the Republic of Azerbaijan;

18-20 May 2014 – an official visit of the Head of the National Assambly of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Oktay Asadov to Republic of Croatia;

13-14 March 2018 - Deputy Member of the Croatian Parliament Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Mihael Zmajlovic Participates in the International Conference "The Role of Parliamentarians in Promoting Economic Co-operation and Cultural Relations on the Silk Road" organized by the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the OSCE Silk Road Support Group

14-15 December 2018 - President of the Executive Board of the National Group of the Croatian Parliament at the Interparliamentary Union Sasa Djujic attends the 5th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians of the Interparliamentary Union

29 April 2019 - Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Ogtay Asadov recived the delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs Maria Pejcinovic Buric.

8-11 September 2019 – vistit to Baku of the Croatian-Azerbaijani Interparliamentary Friendship Group.

The Working Group on inter-parliamentary relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia was established in the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 5 December 2000.

The Croatia-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary Friendship Group has been functioning in the Croatian Parliament since 2008.

Cooperation between cities

26-27.11.2018 Delegation of Sheki City Executive Power visited Varajdin.

27.11.2018 - Charter of Friendship and Cooperation was signed between Sheki and Varajdin to establish economic, cultural, scientific, technical and tourism ties and contribute to the further development of relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia.

On September 10-12, 2019 a delegation led by the mayor of Varajdin visited Sheki.

Political cooperation:

Azerbaijan and Croatia cooperate fruitfully in the frames of many international organisations, such as the UN, OSCE, EU and NATO.

Croatia recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and supports the peaceful and lasting resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of universally accepted principles and norms of international law. Croatia expresses its support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group in finding a lasting solution of the conflict.

Bilateral political consultations and meetings on different levels held on a regular basis. 

25-26 October 2010, Baku - political consultations between ministries of foreign affairs;

8-9 May 2011, Zagreb - political consultations between ministries of foreign affairs;

26 October 2011, Zagreb - political consultations between ministries of foreign affairs;

27 February 2013, Zagreb - consultations on issues of international security between ministries of foreign affairs;

5-6 March 2013, Zagreb - political consultations between ministries of foreign affairs;

15 April 2014, Baku - consular consultations between ministries of foreign affairs;

27 April 2017, Baku - political consultations between ministries of foreign affairs;

1 June 2017, Zagreb - consular consultations between ministries of foreign affairs;

Major documents:

  1. Joint Declaration on the official visit of the President of the Republic of

Azerbaijan to the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, 10 June 2005;

  1. Protocol on Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the

Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European

Integration of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, 10 June 2005;

  1. Joint Declaration of the presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the

Republic of Croatia. Baku, 12 March 2012.

  1. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the

Government of the Republic of Croatia on exemption of visa requirements for

holders of diplomatic and service passports. Baku, 12 March 2012.

  1. Zagreb Declaration on strategic partnership and friendly relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Croatia. Zagreb, 11 March 2013.

Economic cooperation:

Development of economic cooperation is the major prioritiy of the Azerbaijani – Croatian relations. Azerbaijan cooperates with Croatia in machine and ship building, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, tourism and other fields of economy. At the same time, Croatia expresses interest for cooperation with Azerbaijan in energy, transportation, IT technologies and agriculture sectors.

According to the “Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on economic cooperation” the Joint Economic Commission was established in 2015. The first meeting of the Joint Economic Commission, which will give a new impulse to economic cooperation between the two countries was held in Baku in November 2017.

 On 25th of October 2016 Azerbaijan-Croatia Business Forum was held in Baku.

28.11.2017 - The first meeting of the Joint Commission to promote economic cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Croatia was held in Baku.

14-15.03.2019 - Meeting of the Working Group within the Joint Commission to promote economic cooperation between the Government to diversify and strengthen economic cooperation was held in Zagreb. A delegation led by the head of the apparatus of the Ministry of Taxes of the Republic of Azerbaijan Nazim Samadov attended the meeting.

29.04.2019 - Azerbaijan-Croatia Business Forum was held in Baku.

Year    Trade turnover       Exports        Imports

2005 177.3 176.9 0.433
2006  5.1 3.6 1,5
2007 40.9   39.9 1.0
2008 573.5    542.6 30.7
2009 194.5     193.7 0.81
2010 789.1 787.17 1.9
2011 356.3 347.7 8.6
2012 2012 330.6 3.4
2013 222.5   213.2  9.3
2014 323 311.7  11.3
2015 282.67  279.9 2.77
2016  284.75 233.6 51.2
2017 175.7 174.3   1.43
2018 247.7 245.8    1.93

*Source: State Statistical Committee (in millions USD) 

Major documents:

  1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Aviation authority of the

Republic of Azerbaijan and the Aviation authority of the Republic of Croatia;

Zagreb, 10 June 2005;

  1. Agreement on promotion and mutual protection of investments between the

Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on Cooperation Baku, 2 October 2007;

  1. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the

Government of the Republic of Croatia for the avoidance of double taxation

and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on

capital Baku, 12 March 2012;

  1. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the

Government of the Republic of Croatia on economic cooperation. Zagreb, 11

March 2013;

  1. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the

Government of the Republic of Croatia on cooperation in the field of

environmental and nature protection, 11 March 2013;

  1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of

Croatia on cooperation in the field of tourism. Zagreb, 11 March 2013;

06.09.2018 Zagreb Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Humanitarian cooperation:

Humanitarian cooperation in the field of culture, tourism, sport, sciences and education between the two countries develops very successfully.

In 17-19 December 2013, Mr. D.Lorencin, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia visited to the Republic of Azerbaijan. In 8-9 July 2014 and in 27-29 May 2015 Mr. A.Garayev, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan visited to the Republic of Croatia. 

In 2014-2015 the Azerbaijani language course was opened in Zagreb University which helps Croatian people to learn Azerbaijani language.

Major documents:

  1. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the

Government of the Republic of Croatia on cultural cooperation, Zagreb, 10

June 2005;

  1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of

Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on Cooperation in

the field of mine action and humanitarian demining. Baku, 12 March 2012;

  1. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the

Government of the Republic of Croatia on cooperation in the fields of science

and technology. Zagreb, 11 March 2013;

  1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Youth and Sport of

the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Social Policy and Youth of the

Republic of Croatia on co-operation in the field of youth. Zagreb, 11 March 2013

Contractual-legal base:

25 documents have been signed between the parties.

30 October 2017 H.E. Mrs Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, the President of Republic of Croatia awarded H.E Mr. Kamil Khasiyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Republic of Croatia  with the "Order of Duke Branimir" for his contribution to the development of bilateral cooperation in all areas between two Strategic Partners - Republic of Azerbaijan and Republic of Croatia.

 

Search in archive