Tagged: Azerbaijan

According to Paradisdachat, Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic, with the president being the head of state and the prime minister being the head of government. The president is elected by popular vote for a five year term and has the power to appoint and dismiss cabinet members, including the prime minister. The prime minister is appointed by the president and approved by Parliament, who are responsible for carrying out government policies and programs. The Parliament of Azerbaijan is unicameral with 125 members who are elected every five years through proportional representation. It has legislative power over matters such as taxation, public expenditure, foreign policy, defense and other laws that affect all of Azerbaijan. The Constitution of Azerbaijan guarantees fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, press, assembly and association as well as protecting religious freedom and equality before law regardless of gender or race. In addition to its federal system there are also several local self-governing bodies in each region which have their own laws governing local matters such as education, health care, housing and transport. Azerbaijan is an important regional power in the South Caucasus region and maintains strong diplomatic relations with most of its neighbors. Azerbaijan’s foreign policy is based on the principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The country is a member of several international organizations, including the United Nations (UN), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and European Union (EU). Azerbaijan has strong diplomatic ties with Russia, Turkey, Iran and Georgia. It also maintains close economic ties with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The country has been a major participant in peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since 1994. Azerbaijan is also actively involved in regional security initiatives such as the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan and the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution. Azerbaijan seeks to strengthen its relationship with other countries through economic cooperation agreements as well as cultural exchanges. It has signed free trade agreements with Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova. In addition to this it has also established economic ties with China through oil exports as well as tourism investments from Chinese companies. The country is a major contributor to international peacekeeping operations around the world such as those in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. It also participates actively in global forums such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) where it works to promote trade liberalization policies that benefit both itself and its trading partners alike. Overall, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy aims to promote stability within its region while maintaining strong ties with its neighbors through economic cooperation agreements & cultural exchanges whilst engaging constructively on global issues related to trade & investment flows into Azerbaijan whilst promoting regional integration & global cooperation initiatives that benefit all parties involved. See recipesinthebox for Azerbaijan defense and foreign policy.