Türkiye, Azerbaijan hail 30 years of strong diplomatic relations

By Merve Aydogan and Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish and Azerbaijani foreign ministers on Monday praised the strong relations between the two states as they celebrate 30 years of diplomatic ties.

"Contributing to the prosperity and welfare in the Eurasian region is one of our priorities in our foreign policy.

"The level of our relations with friendly Azerbaijan is exemplary," said Türkiye's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during a reception held in the Turkish capital Ankara for the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry hosted the reception marking "the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Türkiye and Friendly and Brotherly Countries."

The reception was attended by Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov as well as many ambassadors as guests of honor.

Citing Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's upcoming visit to Ankara on Wednesday, Cavusoglu also said: "To make sure that our European friends are less affected by the energy crisis, we are showing our utmost effort. Our dear, friendly, and brotherly country Azerbaijan is also undertaking a huge responsibility in that regard."

"In the upcoming days and weeks, we will convene trilateral meetings with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to tackle those issues regarding energy and logistics," Cavusoglu added.

The Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor Initiative is of strategic importance, Cavusoglu said, noting that the foreign and transportation ministers of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan will meet in the Azerbaijani capital Baku on June 27.

- Türkiye-Azerbaijan ties

Bayramov congratulated his Turkish counterpart on changing the name of the country to Türkiye in the international arena, noting that the name reflects the "most beautiful expression of the Turkish civilization, culture, and values."

He recalled that Türkiye was the first state ever to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan, which was restored in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan's top diplomat underlined that the current level of relations between Baku and Ankara is based on the "will of people and the brotherly ties" between the two states.

"The alliance between Azerbaijan and Türkiye has great political and economic potential and serves for further strengthening of peace and development in the region," he said.

Speaking on the political and moral support of Türkiye to Azerbaijan during the 2020 Karabakh war, Bayramov thanked Türkiye for its "rightful" support during the 44-day conflict.

Türkiye was a key backer of Azerbaijan during the Karabakh war, which erupted on Sept. 27, 2020 and ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire on Nov. 10 the same year.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military illegally occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

The 44-day conflict saw Azerbaijan liberate several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that had been occupied by Armenia for almost three decades.

"The cooperation and decisions of the Organization of Turkic States serve for the development and progress of the wider region," Bayramov stressed.

On Nov. 12, 2021, the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States – the Turkic Council – renamed itself the Organization of Turkic States at its 8th summit in Istanbul.

The organization consists of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan as the member countries, with Hungary and Turkmenistan as observers.