On 16 August 2010, in Baku, Azerbaijan and Turkey sign the Agreement on Strategic Partnership and Mutual Support — the bilateral strategic and security cooperation treaty signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Abdullah Gül.

The document (23 articles) covers military-political issues, military and military-technical cooperation, humanitarian and economic matters. In case of attack or aggression, the parties undertake to support each other “using all possibilities”.

Azerbaijan’s National Assembly ratified it on 21 December 2010; Turkey’s Grand National Assembly on 2 February 2011. Entry into force followed notifications; the treaty was registered with the UN (No. 51060).

Validity is ten years, with automatic extension unless either party notifies withdrawal.

For Azerbaijan–Turkey relations, 16 August 2010 marks the Baku signature.

The official ceremony is documented on the Azerbaijani Presidency site; the text appears in Resmi Gazete and the UNTS.

The Azerbaijan–Turkey strategic partnership agreement of 16 August 2010 remains the modern bilateral alliance milestone.

Image: Baku; Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Agreement on Strategic Partnership and Mutual Support. Treaty text: President of Azerbaijan — signing ceremony.