The problems in interstate relations between Russia and Azerbaijan began during the collapse of the USSR. In the early years of the Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani society was quite inclined towards Russia. However, the introduction of Soviet troops into Baku in January 1990 had a negative impact on the attitude towards Russia in Azerbaijan. It was on January 20, 1990 that Moscow actually lost Azerbaijan.

Today, the leaders of the two countries will hold the second meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council, lay the foundation stone for the "Uzbekistan" park, and open the new building of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Baku. Tomorrow, on July 3, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ilham Aliyev will continue their dialogue in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, where they will visit the joint garment factory in Khankendi and the "Imorat" historical and architectural complex in the city of Agdam.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a state visit to Azerbaijan on July 2-4 at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. During the visit, issues of further strengthening the relations of friendship, strategic partnership and alliance between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, as well as expanding cooperation and exchanges in priority areas of cooperation will be considered.

In September this year, a multinational military exercise called "Endless Brotherhood - IV" will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan. It will involve special forces from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan. The exercises are aimed at increasing the joint operational capabilities of the participating countries and strengthening regional security.

Azerbaijani MP Gudrat Hasanguliev took the initiative to create an exact replica of the Kaaba in Mecca in the Ashobi Kahf cave area in the city of Nakhchivan.

The new agreement stipulates the parties' obligations not to participate in any blocs or alliances directed against each other and to refrain from participating in any actions that, in the opinion of one of the parties, would harm the strategic partnership and allied relations between the two countries.

The highest level of threat has been declared in Israel due to forest fires that began on April 30.

The representative office of the Russia Today media group in Azerbaijan (Sputnik Azerbaijan) has ceased its activities. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizadeh said that the Russian company can only obtain accreditation for one correspondent in Azerbaijan. The Russian Foreign Ministry has not yet commented on this.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called for a nationwide referendum on amending the country's current constitution, a move that could help pave the way for a peace deal with Armenia's arch-rival Azerbaijan, Reuters reported.

The Azerbaijani government has become the first Muslim country to include a positive portrayal of the Israeli occupation in school textbooks. Maps of occupied Palestine and references to Yasser Arafat have been removed from textbooks. Palestinian resistance movements have also been described as "terrorists."