State Border Service (Azerbaijan)

The State Border Service of Azerbaijan Republic (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası Dövlət Sərhəd Xidməti) also known as Border Guard[1] of Azerbaijan is a governmental law enforcement agency in charge of protecting the borders of Azerbaijan.

State Border Service of Azerbaijan Republic
Azərbaycan Respublikası Dövlət Sərhəd Xidməti
Banner of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan
Agency overview
FormedJuly 31, 2002 (2002-07-31)
Preceding agency
  • Azerbaijan Border Guard Forces
HeadquartersBaku, Azerbaijan
Agency executive
Child agency
  • Academy of State Border Troops
Websitewww.dsx.gov.az

History
Band of the State Border Service

The State Border Service of Azerbaijan was established on July 31, 2002 by decree of the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, by the removal of the border troops from jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan.[2] The main function of the border guard is to guard the Azerbaijani borders against any illegal acts, and to prevent illegal arms, drugs and human trafficking in the country.

Chief of State Border Service and Commander of Border Troops is Colonel-General Elchin Guliyev.

Other law enforcement bodies in Azerbaijan include the Internal Troops of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani National Guard.

Maritime Brigade (Azerbaijani Coast Guard)
The international border crossing between Azerbaijan and Georgia at Balakan.
An ex-U.S. 82-foot patrol boat of the Border Guard's Maritime Brigade

The Azerbaijan Coast Guard is an Azeri law enforcement agency which is a part of the State Border Service.[3] It has been receiving U.S. Coast Guard assistance including the transfer of a Point-class cutter.[4]

The commander is Colonel Afghan Nagiyev.

The Coast Guard was established within the State Border Service by presidential order in 2005.[5] The Coast Guard’s new base was built in Türkan district of Baku within the State Program on “Technical development of security of state borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2006-2010”.

The Maritime Brigade/Coast Guard has one Point class cutter, S 14 (ex U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Point Brower, transferred 28 February 2003), one Osa class missile boat, S 008, which has had its SS-N-2B missiles removed, 3 Stenka class patrol boats, S 005, S 006, and S 007, all with sonar and torpedo tubes removed, 1 Zhuk class patrol craft, P 222, and two 48-foot Silver Ships small craft, S 11 and S 12. (Jane's Fighting Ships 2010) The Coast Guard also operates 6 Sa'ar 62 class offshore patrol vessels

Cooperation

The State Border Service of Azerbaijan actively cooperates with the border guard agencies of neighboring states such as Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. Within the framework of this cooperation, bilateral and multilateral meetings, and conferences are held. Additionally, regular joint exercises are conducted with the border services of Russia and Kazakhstan. The cooperation with the neighboring countries have been aimed to improve the security of the airspace of Azerbaijan and the maritime space in the Caspian Sea. The State Border Service of Azerbaijan is also working together with NATO due to the same purpose.[6]

From 23 to 27 May 2015, Director General of the General Office the United Arab Emirates Supreme Council of National Security's Port, Border and Free Zones Security, Jassem Mohammad al-Zaabi was in Azerbaijan on an official visit. The purpose of his visit was due to the further cooperation and fight against international terrorism, illegal migration, drug trafficking and other crimes.[7]

In 2017, head of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan - Elchin Guliyev and the chairman of the State Border Committee of Belarus - Anatoly Lappo discussed bilateral interaction and cooperation in the CIS Council of Border Troops Commanders.[8]

In February 2017, a memorandum was signed between the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia on the establishment of a special institute of border commissioners. The purpose of the institution is to strengthen the control of the state border and to ensure bilateral cooperation for the future between Georgia and Azerbaijan.[9][10]

Objectives

The major objectives of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan are to protect the state border of the republic, fight against international terrorism, illegal migration and human trafficking, smuggling, drug trafficking, the proliferation of components of weapons of mass destruction, protection of oil and gas platforms and pipelines in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. Furthermore, it is one of the main duties of State Border Service of Azerbaijan to overcome military attacks of troops or criminal groups of foreign countries to the territory of Azerbaijan Republic, protects people, state property, private property from those military and other actions and prevents this kind of actions.[6][11]

Structure
Border guardsmen during a military parade in Baku.

The structure of the State Border Service includes the headquarters, departments, and other organizations. The State Border Service's central office, border guards, naval and military aviation units, border control units, military units, as well as other structural units together form the unified system of the State Border Service. The main units of the State Border's direct guard are the frontier post, the frontier control unit, the frontier ship (boat), the radio engineering post, the frontier aircraft, the division of the operational-search organ, the precinct authorized frontier troops. Financing of border troops is carried out at the expense of the state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The State Border Service was established based on the principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, and principles of the Armed Forces Azerbaijan.[6]

The legislative framework

Legislation on Border Troops includes the Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, present Law, and other legislative acts of Azerbaijan Republic, decrees of the President of Azerbaijan Republic, resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan Republic, international and intergovernmental treaties and agreements regulating relations in the field of protection of state borders, normative acts of relevant bodies of Azerbaijan Republic. The Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Border Troops” was adopted on January 6, 1994. According to these laws, the State Border Service (SBS) is responsible for the security and protection of the borders of Azerbaijan. The security and protection of the borders in the fields (borders) are maintained by its Border Troops, which are military equipped units. This law also determines the security control posts (on the soil, sea and airports) where the borders of Azerbaijan Republic can be crossed by Azerbaijani citizens and aliens and the regulations in those control posts. According to the law on borders in special check-points during crossing of the borders of Azerbaijan, the citizens of Azerbaijan and aliens have to pass through the controls of the officers of State Border Service, the Committee on Custom, Sanitary of Service and other controls where it is necessary.[12][13]

Flags

Flags of Border Troops and military units (land flags)
  • Flag of the Border Troops (reverse). Note: The obverse of the flag is similar to the national flag
  • Flag of the Border Regiments (reverse). Note: The obverse of the flag is similar to the national flag
  • Flag of the Border Units (reverse). Note: The obverse of the flag is similar to the national flag
  • The flag of the Azerbaijani Coast Guard
  • Flag of the President of Azerbaijan while on board a ship of the State Border Service
  • Flag of the Chief of the State Border Service - Commander of Border Troops
  • Flag of the Chief of General Staff of the Border Troops
  • Flag of the Commander of a group of vessels
  • Command Pennant of Border Patrol vessels
  • Masthead Pennant of Border Patrol vessels

See also

References
  1. Trend News: Iranian & Azerbaijani border guards to have a meeting
  2. The Presidential Decree "On establishment of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan Republic" dated July 31, 2002
  3. http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=86922 and
  4. United States Department of State
  5. http://www.milaz.info/en/news.php?id=4101
  6. "AR Dövlət Sərhəd Xidmətinin beynəlxalq əlaqələri".
  7. "Azerbaijan and UAE discuss border security".
  8. "Belarus, Azerbaijan discuss exchange of experience in border security".
  9. "Border Agreement Signed Between Georgia, Azerbaijan".
  10. "Minister of Internal Affairs met with Head of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan".
  11. "Law of Azerbaijan Republic on Border Troops. Article 4. Objectives of Border Troops".
  12. "Chiragov, F. Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD). Border management policy" (PDF).
  13. "Law of Azerbaijan Republic on Border Troops. Article 2. Legislation on Border Troops".
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