Azerbaijan–Mexico relations

Azerbaijan–Mexico relations

Azerbaijan
Mexico

Azerbaijan–Mexico relations refers to the diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Mexico.

History

Monument to the massacre of Khojaly in Mexico City
Commemorative stamps between Azerbaijan and Mexico

In December 1991, Mexico recognized the independence of Azerbaijan after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union. On 14 January 1992, both nations established diplomatic relations.[1] At first, diplomatic relations between both nations were carried out from their respective embassies; the Azeri embassy in Washington, DC, USA and from the Mexican embassy in Ankara, Turkey.[1] In 2007, Azerbaijan opened an embassy in Mexico City and Mexico followed suit by opening an embassy in Baku in 2014. In 2011, the Mexican Senate recognized the Khojaly Massacre.[2]

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence, Mexico allowed certain foreign countries to remodel parks and squares with monuments of their countries. The government of Azerbaijan chose to place a monument of former President Heydar Aliyev on the main Paseo de la Reforma in Chapultepec Park and another monument in remembrance to the massacre of Khojaly in Plaza Tlaxcoaque. In November 2012, relations between both nations came to an all-time low when soon after the unveiling of the statue of former Azeri President Heydar Aliyev; several residents of Mexico City accused the local city government of allowing the Azeri government of placing a statue of a "dictator" in the city.[3][4] It was proposed that the local government should remove the statue and place it elsewhere, however, the Azeri embassy in Mexico City protested that if the statue were to be moved, "Azerbaijan may break diplomatic relations with Mexico."[4] In the end, the statue of President Heydar Aliyev was moved to a private home in the city and in retaliation, the Azeri government withheld $3.8 billion USD in investments.[3]

Bilateral visits

High-level visits from Azerbaijan to Mexico[5]

In April 1982, former President Heydar Aliyev paid a visit to Mexico as head of a Soviet Delegation and met with former Mexican President José López Portillo. At the time, Aliyev was only a candidate of the Soviet Politburo.[6] In 2014, a delegation of Mexican Senators paid an official four day visit to Azerbaijan, becoming the highest level Mexican officials to visit Azerbaijan.[7]

Trade relations

In 2014, two-way trade between both nations amounted to just over $1.5 million USD.[8] Azerbaijan's main exports to Mexico include computer equipment while Mexico's main exports to Azerbaijan include tequila and beer.[8]

Resident diplomatic missions

References

  1. 1 2 Diplomatic relations between Mexico and Azerbaijan (in Spanish)
  2. ↑ Mexican Senate recognizes Azeris’ massacre as genocide
  3. 1 2 Azerbaiyán retira inversión millonaria por polémica estatua de Aliyev (in Spanish)
  4. 1 2 Azerbaiyán romperá relaciones si se remueve monumento de Reforma (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov visits Mexico (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Visita de Heydar Aliyev a México (in Spanish)
  7. ↑ Carpeta de Información y análisis para la visita de la delegación del Senado mexicano a la República de Azerbaiyán (in Spanish)
  8. 1 2 Mexican Ministry of the Economy: Azerbaijan (in Spanish)
  9. ↑ Embassy of Azerbaijan in Mexico City (in Azeri and Spanish)
  10. ↑ Embassy of Mexico in Azerbaijan (in Spanish)
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