Azerbaijan reopens embassy in Syria after 13-year closure

JAMnews

Baku

Azerbaijan-Syria ties

Azerbaijan has reopened its embassy in Damascus, Syria’s capital, after a 13-year hiatus.

According to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, a chargé d’affaires has already been dispatched to Damascus and has begun work.

Official Baku also emphasized its commitment to fostering lasting peace and stability in Syria based on international law.

“At this crucial moment, as friendly and partnership ties between Azerbaijan and Syria enter a new phase and fresh opportunities emerge for cooperation in political, economic, cultural, and other spheres, our embassy will support the development of bilateral relations through close collaboration with Syria’s transitional government,” the ministry’s statement read.

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On February 15, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

“I congratulate you on assuming the presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic during the transitional period and wish you success in your responsible mission for the benefit of your people. We attach great importance to the development of friendly and partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Syria,” the letter read.

President Aliyev also invited Ahmed al-Sharaa to visit Azerbaijan.

Embassy closure in 2012

Azerbaijan’s embassy in Damascus was shut down in 2012, 20 years after diplomatic ties between the two countries were first established on March 28, 1992. The Azerbaijani ambassador and all embassy staff left Damascus in August 2012.

At the time, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said the indefinite withdrawal of its diplomatic mission was due to security concerns and the situation in Syria.

The ministry also reported that more than 50 Azerbaijani citizens living and working in Syria left the country individually with the embassy’s assistance.

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Azerbaijan-Syria relations restored after years of estrangement

The process of restoring ties with Syria began late last year after a long hiatus. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on December 10, 2024, expressing hope for the renewal of bilateral relations.

On December 29, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev met with Syria’s transitional government Foreign Minister Asad Hasan al-Shibani in Damascus, declaring that Azerbaijan “stands with Syria alongside the Republic of Turkey at this new crucial stage.”

Rafiyev also emphasized that Azerbaijan planned to reopen its embassy in Damascus as soon as possible.

The following day, on December 30, Azerbaijan sent its first humanitarian aid convoy to Syria, marking a further step in re-establishing diplomatic and humanitarian engagement.

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“Shoulder to shoulder with Turkey on Syria issue”

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev reaffirmed his country’s alignment with Turkey on Syria while receiving the credentials of newly appointed Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Birol Akgün, last week.

“From the very beginning, Azerbaijan has declared its support for Turkey on the Syria issue. In this regard, it was emphasized that Azerbaijan is also ready to contribute, in coordination with Turkey, to ensuring stability, security, and addressing humanitarian challenges in Syria,” Aliyev stated.