Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey made press statements

Following the ceremony of signing documents, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made press statements.

The head of state made the statement first.

Statement of President Ilham Aliyev

- My dear Brother, dear President.

I cordially welcome you to Azerbaijan again. Welcome!

It is a very significant and important day in the history of Turkey and Azerbaijan today. Watching the Victory parade together today, we congratulated each other. We congratulated our peoples on the Victory. This historic Victory is the embodiment of our unity. Turkey and its President provided support to Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people from the first hours of the war. His statements were very valuable for the Azerbaijani people. At the same time, they became a message to the whole world that Azerbaijan is not alone, that no-one should interfere with Azerbaijan’s affairs, that Azerbaijan is waging a just and Patriotic war, and Turkey stands by it. This message was essentially the personification of solidarity. It showed that Azerbaijan is right in this just war. We have restored historical justice. We have put an end to the occupation that lasted for many years. Fraternal Turkey was next to us, which inspired us even more and gave us additional strength. Using this strength, we liberated our historical lands from the occupiers.

Every time I met with my dear Brother or visited fraternal Turkey, I said that there were no countries in the world that would be as close to each other as Turkey and Azerbaijan. And this is true. If we look at the world map today, we can see that there are no countries that would be so attached to each other, that would always be so close to each other as we are. We are bound by a common history, religion, culture, language, literature, as well as our policies. Turkey and Azerbaijan are countries pursuing an independent policy on a global scale. Turkey's strength multiplies ours. Today, thanks to the leadership of my dear Brother, Turkey has become a powerhouse on a global scale. In many countries around the world, Turkey defends truth and justice. Turkey protects the interests of oppressed peoples and restores justice and international law.

Erdogan's Turkey today is an example for the whole world, an example of independence, perseverance, courage and development. Several documents signed today will provide Azerbaijan with the products of Turkey’s developed industry. The documents signed today hold a humble place among the documents signed in recent years.

The famous “Bayraktar”, a product of the Turkish defense industry, has brought about great changes and played an exceptional role in our success. The whole world once again became a witness of the intelligence and talent of the Turkish people, was further convinced that Turkey has a developed industry.

It is a historic day today because Turkish and Azerbaijani soldiers walked shoulder to shoulder along Azadlig Square in this Victory parade. Not only Baku but also all our cities are decorated with the flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan today. This was also the case before. Of course, this took on even broader proportions during the war. These are the feelings coming from people’s hearts. This is an asset we have cherished for centuries. Our advantage is that both peoples and leaders are next to each other, calling each other brothers. At the same time, we are together in all matters. We were together on both difficult and joyful, wonderful days, like today, and this is natural.

Today, the unity of Turkey and Azerbaijan is of great importance not only for our peoples, but also for the region, for the whole world, because our policy is aimed at cooperation and interaction among countries. We are also fully ready for a new era that will begin after this historic Victory. Today, during our conversation with my dear Brother, we also exchanged views on the period ahead. Our opinions coincide. We must create a new platform for cooperation in the region. First statements have already been made. This can be a multilateral platform. Countries across the region participating in this cooperation platform can only benefit from this.

There is traditional cooperation involving Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. At the same time, there is cooperation involving Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran. There is cooperation involving Turkey, Russia and Iran. In other words, we can summarize all these cooperation platforms and come up with a single platform. If the Armenian leadership draws the right conclusions from the war, renounces its unfounded claims and looks ahead, then they can also take a place on this platform. We are open to this. The position of Azerbaijan after the war and our statements give reason to say this. We must turn this page over, we must end the enmity. We did not start this. We simply waited for support from international organizations for 30 years, waited for support from three Minsk Group co-chairs. We waited for UN Security Council resolutions adopted to be implemented. But that didn't happen. The neither-war-nor-peace situation simply continued, the status quo continued. We changed this status quo by military means, expelled the enemy from our lands, dealt them a tangible blow, destroyed their army and their main ideological pillars. But what did we do after that? After that, we said that we were ready to cooperate. By creating a new format of cooperation, we can reduce the future risk of war in the region to zero.

Today, also looking to the future, we express our thoughts on the development of the liberated lands. Karabakh will become one of the most beautiful regions in the world. I am confident that with the help of our Turkish brothers, we will achieve this. We have already talked about specific projects – road, rail, infrastructure projects – today. Turkish and Azerbaijani companies will jointly participate in all these projects. Their implementation in a short time will breathe a new life into the region.

Once again, on behalf of all the Azerbaijani people and on my own behalf, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the fraternal Turkish people. These days Turkey has been showing tremendous support and solidarity with us. And not only politicians but also all the ministers headed by the President, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, as well as public activists, media representatives. Risking their lives, they prepared reports from the combat zone day and night, and it was thanks to these reports that the world learned about the events taking place. I want to convey my greetings and deep gratitude to our brothers and sisters in Turkey – they rejoiced in our Victory as much as we do. We are together! This is the case today and it will be the case tomorrow and beyond. Turkish-Azerbaijani unity is indestructible and eternal!

Welcome again, dear Brother. Welcome to your homeland. We love you with all our hearts. The Azerbaijani people showed you their love on the streets today. We have agreed, Inshallah, to go to Shusha together after the new highway is built there by Turkish companies.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Inshallah.

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Then the President of Turkey made a statement.

Statement of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

- On my own behalf and on behalf of my people, I express my gratitude to my esteemed Brother, Mr. President for this speech, especially on Victory Day. On my own behalf and on behalf of my delegation and people, I once again congratulate my Brother for leading your country to Victory, and through you all my Azerbaijani brothers.

Indeed, the results of the 44-day war made your brothers in Turkey just as happy as my brothers in Azerbaijan. We are all experiencing this joy – both I and my people. This joy was experienced by our government and a significant part of parliament. Likewise, this joy was shared by a significant part of the print and video media, which constantly celebrated this Victory together and conveyed their messages.

We arrived at these events today at the invitation of my Brother and, seeing this joy on the avenue, we realized that this Victory can cause exactly this joy. Naturally, we must congratulate you on such a Victory. May Allah grant the opportunity to successfully continue this process, Inshallah.

Of course, my Brother and I discussed in detail why the settlement of the Karabakh conflict dragged on until now. Why did this suffering in Karabakh last for 30 years? What were the three countries called the Minsk Group doing? These are the strongest countries in the world – America, Russia and France. Why did the conflict drag on and there was no result? Couldn't they have resolved this issue? They could have! Then why did they delay it? Numerous positive messages started coming in afterwards. They were led by France. They constantly called my Brother, trying to get a result from him. Of course, sometimes they tried to establish a contact with us too, but we, frankly, did not respond, because we knew about their actual intentions.

Our brothers said that they would resolve this issue themselves, took this step and things moved off the ground. After things got going, we held discussions with Mr. Putin. In the same manner, the diplomatic side of this matter was handled by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlut Bey. In particular, intelligence and defense activities were carried out in this matter. After all this activity, the situation began to develop in a completely different direction.

I cannot fail to mention Mr. Putin’s approach. His approach helped us lead this process in a positive direction, and it got to this level.

My Brother has just touched on the issue of a platform. To be honest, I also attach great importance to this. He said that if necessary, we can create a six-sided platform. This was accepted by Mr. Putin. What is a six-sided platform? Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia, and Armenia – if it accepts and corresponds to it – then it can also get a place on this platform. So there are plans to build a regional peace through a six-party platform. Of course, there are tasks the regional peace sets before countries of the region. This includes infrastructure, political, diplomatic and many other issues. I told my Brother today that if positive steps are taken on this issue, then we will open the doors as well. It would be sufficient if these positive steps start to be taken. We do not want to close the doors to Armenia either because we want to become doves of peace, to take peaceful steps. Moreover, we have no problems with the Armenian people. Our problem is with the Armenian government. There are over one hundred thousand Armenians in my country. Among them, there are those who have received our citizenship and those who did not. But we treat them as guests in our country. Why? Because we have no dislike for people. The goal is, in particular, the formation and strengthening of this peace. We must take our actions in accordance with this.

Naturally, leadership is very important here. You have no right to recognize Karabakh as a state by a decision adopted in your parliament. Even Pashinyan does not perceive it that way. But you, Macron, are trying to pass this issue through parliament. This means that he does not yet have an understanding of politics, he does not know and does not understand what public administration is, he does not know what is happening, where and how. Of course, he will be angry with me tomorrow, perhaps even tonight, but that's another question. But we must speak the truth no matter what. Otherwise, we will not fulfill our task. But we will achieve this.

Today's ceremonies, today's excitement, certainly created a completely different situation. I am confident that with the emergence of this new situation, Azerbaijan will take steps aimed at creating a very serious infrastructure in the region. As far as I know, Inshallah, roads and railway lines will be built. Mr. President has made a decision in this regard, and the situation will change after the construction of roads from Nakhchivan to Zangilan and from Zangilan northwards. After these roads have been built, we want to travel to Shusha along a new road in the summer, we want to visit Shusha together. Shusha is history. To see Shusha and feel its history is a great joy for us too. We want to experience these feelings. Let the souls of our martyrs rejoice. We have so many martyrs and wounded – may Allah grant them healing. Our martyrs died with faith. May the souls of all our martyrs rejoice. We must feel this call coming from their souls. Can we? We can, Inshallah, because they did not die, they are alive. Today we were especially pleased to see our Ghazis. They became Ghazis for a reason. Their struggle was underpinned by an idea. Which one? To return Karabakh to its true owners, and the Ghazis, together with the martyrs, were able to do this.

Of course, my Brother and I held discussions related, in particular, to infrastructure and other issues today. The Armenians have burned and destroyed everything behind themselves. Mosques have been destroyed and burned. They have even destroyed and burned churches. It is difficult to understand them. However, I believe that these plundered and destroyed places will be rebuilt. Just like there was one Baku 20 years ago and there is a completely different city now – it has completely changed. I am sure that the leadership of Azerbaijan who has created this miracle, with the permission of Allah, will transform Karabakh within three to five years. My Brother Ilham possesses such strength and power, and he has proved it.

Today, during a visit to the graves, the former speaker of our parliament, Ismail Kahraman, said that every time he comes here he sees a completely different Azerbaijan and completely different Baku. I myself have experienced these feelings more than once in 20 years. I am sure that when we come here in the summer, we will see, Inshallah, how Karabakh has changed. I have no doubt about that. In essence, the steps taken today are quite symbolic. There is still much to be done. Thanks to what will be done, Azerbaijan will succeed in reviving Karabakh. May Allah help you. May Allah rest the souls of our martyrs in peace and grant healing to our Ghazis. Once again, I hope you can continue and increase your success.

Thank you!