UPDATE - Turkiye marks 30th anniversary of re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan

ADDS STATEMENT BY AZERBAIJAN'S EMBASSY IN ANKARA

By Handan Kazanci and Iclal Turan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkiye on Friday marked the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan.

“Today, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the reestablishment of our diplomatic relations with friendly and brotherly Azerbaijan,” said Turkey's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

“Azerbaijan declared her strong will to become a member of the international community enjoying equal rights on 29 October 1991 coinciding with the 68th anniversary of our Republic and gave us twice the reason to celebrate on that day,” the statement added.

“Turkiye officially recognized the Republic of Azerbaijan without delay, and diplomatic relations were established with the signing of the ‘Protocol on Reestablishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Turkiye and the Republic of Azerbaijan’.

Turkiye became the first state to establish diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan after declaring independence,” it added.

“During the past three decades, Turkiye stood by friendly and brotherly Azerbaijan in both good and difficult times, showing this once again by greatly rejoicing as the valiant Azerbaijan Armed Forces liberated the occupied territories in the 44-day long Patriotic War,” the statement noted.

“The will that shapes our relations, which are elevated to the alliance status with the Shusha Declaration signed on 15 June 2021, shall continue as before,” it added.

“This approach is also befitting the statements of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkiye, that ‘Azerbaijan’s joy is our joy, and her sorrow is our sorrow’ and of Haydar Aliyev, National Leader of Azerbaijan, that ‘One nation, two states.’

“After three decades, today, there is a much stronger Turkiye and much stronger Azerbaijan, whose fraternity and close cooperation is also the assurance for peace and stability in their common region,” it added.

“Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the reestablishment of our diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan, we look to the future with confidence and reiterate our determination for cooperation towards common welfare and development.”

Azerbaijan's Embassy in Ankara also released a statement, marking the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of Turkish-Azerbaijani diplomatic relations.

Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations have reached the highest level in bilateral and international platforms, displaying an unprecedented example of brotherhood, the statement stressed.

Underlining that Turkish people showed support for Azerbaijan, which went through a difficult process after gaining its independence and 20% of its lands were occupied, the statement added that Ankara also supported Azerbaijan's "44-day Patriotic War" started on Sept. 27, 2020.

Noting that Turkiye-Azerbaijani relations evolved into a strategic alliance after Ankara and Baku signed the Shusha Declaration signed last June in the Azerbaijani city to boost post-war cooperation and promote stability, the statement said: "We wish peace, stability, prosperity and brotherhood to our peoples as the 30th anniversary of relations is celebrated with justified pride."