Ankara reaffirms support to Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

By Azernews

By Akbar Mammadov

Turkey’s Parliament Speaker Mustafa Shentop has said that his country is by Azerbaijan’s side over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He also said that Armenian occupation poses a threat not only to Azerbaijan but to the entire region. 

Shentop made the remark during the meeting with the Azerbaijani delegation headed by the Parliament’s Speaker Sahiba Gafarova on September 11.

Welcoming the Azerbaijani parliament speaker and members of the delegation, Shentop said that Turkey and Azerbaijan are brotherly countries.

“They are two states and one nation connected by deep historical roots of friendship and brotherhood for centuries. Azerbaijan's sorrow is our sorrow, Azerbaijan's joy is our joy,” Shentop said.

In turn, Gafarova said that it was her first foreign visit since her appointment, reminding that there is a tradition between the two countries’ officials to make their first official foreign visits to the fraternal country.

“It is very commendable and I am sure that this wonderful tradition between the two fraternal countries will continue," she added.

While speaking about the Azerbaijan-Turkey relations, Gafarova stressed that there is no alternative to these relations in the world political system.

Our relations are based on the true spirit of brotherhood of our peoples. Today, the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are at the level of strategic partnership, she said.

She also brought to the attention of the Turkish colleague that the Azerbaijani parliament and the Turkish Grand National Assembly are the fraternal parliaments following the spirit of relations between our peoples.

“This brotherhood is observed in the cooperation of the parliaments both on a bilateral basis and within the international organizations. There are interacting friendship groups in our parliaments,” Gafarova said.

These groups are led by Ahliman Amiraslanov from the Azerbaijani side and Shamil Ayrim from the Turkish side. Shamil Ayrim was awarded the Dostlug Order by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for his services in the development of fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Furthermore, Gafarova stressed the importance to expand mutual visits and meetings between the heads of the parliaments and friendship groups as the intensification of contacts between friendship groups makes an important contribution to the further deepening of ties between the two countries.

The speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament expressed gratitude to the Turkish politicians and political parties as four parties represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly issued a joint statement on the cross-border provocation committed by Armenia in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district on July 12.

“Being one nation and two states, our history has a lot in common. Therefore, both countries must build the future to preserve this commonality.”

Furthermore, Gafarova stressed that President Ilham Aliyev’s earlier comments on the Mediterranean crisis voiced while receiving the Greek ambassador in Azerbaijan was the position of Azerbaijani people.

She reminded that Azerbaijan and Turkey have very close relations. To date, 249 documents have been signed between the two countries. These documents cover a wide range of spheres beginning from the education sector and ending with energy projects.

“The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, TAP, TANAP projects are important projects not only for our countries but for the entire region. The fact that we are implementing these projects together testifies to our unity, brotherhood, and friendship. I think that we should further expand these relations," she noted.