Costa Rican and Azerbaijani chancellors met last week to seek to increase trade, investment, tourism, and cooperation between the two nations, and announced a reciprocal opening of embassies and an agreement on diplomatic visas.

Investments by the Azerbaijan Petroleum Fund in Costa Rica were an important part of the talks, said the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Minister Manuel A. González explained that this meeting allowed a discussion about, “The opportunities from the point of view of the Costa Rican economy and its proximity to some actors in the region, both in North and in South America and the Caribbean.”

“Azerbaijan is geographically located in a strategic position so that exports of both goods and services from Costa Rica can be sent to other important markets in that region. We have agreed to hold political consultations in Baku. This confirms once again Costa Rica’s desire to expand its geographic destinations, strengthen traditional relations and also strengthen new relations,” added González.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Mammadyarov  talked about opportunities for cooperation in different fields and the reciprocal opening of embassies in the framework of the celebration of 20 years of diplomatic relations.

“Costa Rica sees Azerbaijan as a geostrategic country that has a great wealth of hydrocarbons as well as being a key player in international energy transit. It is also the gateway to Euroasia,” said the Foreign Ministry, who wishes to create and increase “effective linkages for politics, trade and investment, academic exchange, and cooperation” in different parts of the world.

Chancellor Mammadyarov referred to the political dynamics in the Caucasus region, the priorities of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan, the foreign investment arm of the oil state, and the possibilities to generate trade and link the private sectors of both countries, as priority work of the new embassies established.

 

Azerbaijan is in a geostrategic situation, rich in hydrocarbons (oil and gas) and a key player in international energy transit. Located in a region of growing strategic importance and with a notable wealth of hydrocarbons, Azerbaijan has tried in recent years to design a policy of alliances that allows it to maintain a degree of autonomy, obtain international support in its dispute with Armenia, develop its potential energy and economic security, and ensure the security of its territory.

With an area of ​​86,600 km2, Azerbaijan is the largest of the three ex-Soviet Transcaucasian Republics. It is situated on the shore of the Caspian Sea, and the enclave of Nakhichevan, located between Iran and Armenia, also belongs to Azerbaijan.

The current president is Ilham Aliyev, who was elected for his second third term in the presidential elections of October 2013.

Costa Rica said it would very shortly be establishing its embassy in Azerbaijan.