Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Shusha on the sixth anniversary of 8 November – Victory Day and his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev became an important political event in terms of clearing away the tension observed in Baku-Ankara relations in recent weeks. The leaders’ meeting and their statements to the press demonstrated that the strategic alliance between the two countries is being preserved and that a common political will exists regarding the future development of relations.
In the messages delivered from Shusha, two main priorities came to the fore: the protection of the Azerbaijan-Turkiye union without allowing any outside interference, and the two states’ acting from a single strategic position in regional processes. Thus Erdogan’s visit to Karabakh drew attention not only as the marking of Victory Day, but also as a message of a new political stage in Baku-Ankara relations.
Political analyst Shabnam Hasanova, Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science, told Globalinfo.az that the messages delivered by President Ilham Aliyev in Khankendi, our historic ancestral homeland, before the Victory Arch, as well as the fact that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan travelled precisely to Karabakh on the sixth anniversary of our Victory, once again confirm that our struggle is indeed a just one:
“This war was the embodiment of the fortitude, will and valour we displayed for our native lands, our ancestral homeland. The messages our head of state addressed to the people before the Victory Arch were of great significance from a political, legal and ideological standpoint. One of the main points that drew attention in these messages was the emphasis once again that Azerbaijan’s Victory is fully legitimate and that historical justice has been restored.
Politically, the message was very clear. Despite all the efforts of the forces trying to support Armenia, the smear campaigns conducted against Azerbaijan, and the pressure and threats, the Azerbaijani state and the Azerbaijani people never retreated from their position, were never broken and never renounced their national interests.
It was no coincidence that our head of state stressed that every step of the Victory Arch and every day of the Patriotic War are dear and sacred to us. Because we liberated these lands at the cost of the lives and blood of our martyrs. In this regard, Mr President’s characterisation of the ‘Azerbaijanism’ ideology as ‘the road leading us to the future’ is of particular importance. It is precisely this ideology, this national idea and philosophy that ensured the unity of our people, strengthened the power of our state and constituted the ideological foundation of our Victory.”
The political analyst stated that the forces that once sought to split, divide, weaken from within and destroy Azerbaijan exist today as well:
“One of their main goals has been to damage relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye and to create an artificial confrontation between the two brotherly states. However, the determination, political will and principled position of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkiye did not allow these insidious intentions to be realised.
Once again confirmed in Khankendi by the Azerbaijani Army under the command of the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the expression ‘Karabakh is Azerbaijan and an exclamation mark!’ carries a special historical and political meaning. The confirmation of this historic message in Khankendi was the affirmation of the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Having defined Azerbaijan’s national interests as the highest priority of state policy, the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev rightly stressed that no threat, no pressure, no diabolical act could turn us from our path. No one could frighten our people. Alongside our head of state’s characterisation of the administrative structures of the former separatist regime as a ‘nest of the devil’, one more truth must also be specifically emphasised. It was the Azerbaijani soldier and officer who taught the enemy a worthy lesson.
In this regard, the Azerbaijan-Turkiye brotherhood is built on natural historical, political and spiritual ties. The signing of the Shusha Declaration merely moved the existing relations onto a legal plane and strengthened the institutional foundations of our alliance. As Mr President also stressed, we were allies anyway. The characterisation of Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations as an ‘unquenchable torch’ is in fact one of the most complete formulations expressing the essence of these relations. Because the Azerbaijan-Turkiye union does not depend on political conjuncture, it rests on historical and spiritual foundations.
Shabnam Hasanova
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s characterisation of Shusha as ‘the pride of our nation’ was also a very notable and deeply meaningful expression. At the same time, the Azerbaijani leader’s declaration once again that our country is an independent state and pursues an independent policy sets out the main principle of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy course. Azerbaijan is not under the influence of any centre of power and takes decisions based on its own national interests.
In this regard, 8 November and our Victory should not be assessed merely as the historical achievement of one generation. This Victory must be protected by all generations, must become an integral part of our national memory and must be passed on to future generations on firmer ideological foundations.”
Sh. Hasanova noted that a completely new geopolitical reality has now taken shape in the region:
“Our main task is to develop that reality on the principles of sustainable peace, mutual respect for sovereignty and regional cooperation. In this regard, the forces still living with revanchist fantasies must draw the right conclusions from the Victory Azerbaijan has won.
As our head of state noted, the destruction of the 15,000-strong occupation corps was the military-political confirmation of the truth that ‘Karabakh is Azerbaijan and an exclamation mark!’ There was not a single deserter in the Azerbaijani Army, while 12,000 deserters were recorded in the Armenian army. These facts are important indicators demonstrating the course of the war and the difference in will between the parties.
The most important reality is that whoever the land belonged to, today it is Azerbaijan that is building and re-creating its own homeland, its own land, in those territories. In the areas that Armenia turned into ruins during the occupation, Azerbaijan today ensures the restoration of life, construction and the Great Return.
All of this once again shows how unshakeable and eternal the Azerbaijan-Turkiye brotherhood is. The sincere attitude Mr President Ilham Aliyev displays towards the President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as the relations of the first ladies and family members of both states, based on mutual respect and sincerity, and the family photographs taken together, are also an important spiritual and political message.
I think this picture is a clear message addressed both to friend and to foe. The Azerbaijan-Turkiye union is unshakeable. Azerbaijan-Turkiye means naturalness. This union, this naturalness, should be a joy for our friends and a serious lesson for those who harbour insidious intentions against us.”
Turan Rzayev
Globalinfo.az
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