PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Diplomatic relations exist between Azerbaijan and Uruguay. Neither country has a resident ambassador.

History

In 1991, Azerbaijan obtained its independence after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union. On 12 January 1995, Azerbaijan and Uruguay established diplomatic relations.^[1] In September 2011, a Uruguayan Delegation paid a visit to Azerbaijan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Azerbaijani independence.^[2] In July 2012, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov paid an official visit to Uruguay and met with President José Mujica.^[2]

In November 2012, a diplomatic crisis between both nations occurred when an Uruguayan Parliamentary Delegation on a visit to Armenia crossed the border into Armenian held territory of Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan.^[3] Fearing that Uruguay would recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Armenia; Azerbaijan launched a formal complaint against Uruguay accusing the Parliamentary Delegation of illegally crossing into Azerbaijan and jeopardizing a future peace agreement.^[3] The Uruguayan government has never officially recognized the Armenian-held territory as an integral part of Armenia.

In January 2013, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received an official Delegation from Uruguay in order to improve relations between both nations.^[4] In 2016, the Uruguayan government expressed its concerns on the escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh.^[5]

In May 2013, former Uruguayan President Luis Alberto Lacalle paid a visit to Azerbaijan to participate in the Southern Caucasus Forum being held in Baku. Former President Lacalle was received by President Ilham Aliyev.^[2] In 2014, Azerbaijan opened a diplomatic office in Montevideo.^[1]

In May 2019, the Minister of Foreign Relations of Uruguay, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, paid a visit to Azerbaijan, on the occasion of the 5th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. There he met with President Ilham Aliyev; with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmar Mammadyarov; with the economy minister, Shahin Mustafayev; and with the Minister of Agriculture, Inam Karimov.^[6]

In May 2022, Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Məmmədov paid a visit to Uruguay.^[7]

Agreements

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as an Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both nations (2007); Agreement on the elimination of visa requirements for official and diplomatic passport holders (2013); Agreement on Customs Cooperation (2016) and an Agreement on Cultural Cooperation (2017).^[8]

Trade

In 2016, trade between Azerbaijan and Uruguay totaled US$7.6 million.^[9] Uruguay's main trade products to Azerbaijan are cattle and pharmaceuticals.^[10] Azerbaijan does not export products to Uruguay.