Landmark Shusha Declaration goes into effect in Turkiye

By Behlul Cetinkaya

ANKARA (AA) - A law in Turkiye ratifying the historic Shusha Declaration, signed with Azerbaijan last year, came into force on Monday after being published in the country's Official Gazette.

"The 'Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations Between the Republic of Turkiye and the Republic of Azerbaijan' signed in Shusha on June 15, 2021, has been ratified," said the Official Gazette entry on the legislation that lawmakers passed on Feb. 3.

Raising relations between Turkiye and Azerbaijan to the level of an alliance, the declaration was inked in a ceremony attended by the two countries' presidents in the Azerbaijani city of Shusha, liberated in November 2020 from nearly 30 years of Armenian occupation.

It focuses on defense cooperation and establishing new transportation routes, affirming the joint efforts by the two armies in the face of foreign threats, and the restructuring and modernization of their armed forces.

The declaration also emphasizes that Armenia's groundless allegations against Turkiye and attempts to distort history were damaging peace and stability in the region, stating that the opening of the Zangezur corridor, connecting eastern Turkiye and Azerbaijan, and the Nakhichevan-Kars railway will further contribute to the strengthening of relations.

Turkiye was a key backer of Azerbaijan during the 44-day Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which erupted on Sept. 27, 2020 and ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire on Nov. 10.

- Treaties with US, Albania

Three more agreements with the US and Albania also entered into force on Monday after they were also published in the Official Gazette.

The agreements, signed on cooperation in health and construction works with Albania and on taxation with the US, kicked in after being approved by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In the agreement on health cooperation with Albania, the two countries vowed to "promote cooperation in the field of health and medicine on the basis of equality mutual understanding and mutual benefit."

It involves cooperation to increase knowledge and experience sharing as part of the fight against pandemics, including COVID-19, capacity building for health personnel, and boosting health investments.

With the memorandum of understanding on construction works, the two countries pledged to increase knowledge, experience, and technology sharing in this field, as well.

Both agreements were signed on Jan. 6, 2021.

The arrangement with the US on country-by-country reporting, inked on Nov. 17, aims to improve the access areas of the two countries' tax administrations and increase tax transparency.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz