“In recent times, the campaign against Azerbaijan in Türkiye‘s media space, including on social networks, is a cause for regret.”
This was stated to Globalinfo.az by political analyst Oqtay Qasımov.
He noted that Türkiye is home to groups representing various political and religious currents and sects:
“At the same time, if we take into account the influence capabilities of various foreign states and the networks they operate in Türkiye, the emergence of such a situation is not surprising.
It is known that there are groups in Türkiye that do not accept the secular state model, that speak from the standpoint of religious sects, and even oppose Atatürk’s position. Unfortunately, over the past 20 years, some of these forces have gained certain positions in Turkish politics as well. Their attempts to steer Türkiye away from the secular state model can from time to time be observed in the country’s media space as well.”
The political analyst believes that three groups stand behind the campaign against Azerbaijan:
“First of all, the activity of certain radical religious currents should be noted. Among them there are also groups with close ties to the authorities. Some of these groups come forward with Islam’s political governance model and the idea of a caliphate. The possibility that such forces are taking part in the campaign against Azerbaijan must be taken into account.
Another important factor is foreign forces. States and circles that are not interested in the strengthening of Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations may try to hinder these ties.
It cannot be ruled out that within Türkiye itself there are also forces that do not support the development of relations with Azerbaijan at the current level.”
According to O. Qasımov, the ties of certain religious groups and political circles with power structures, as well as their activity in the media and social networks, must also be taken into account when analysing this process:
“Thus, we see that several directions coincide here: religious and ideological motives, forces financed or directed from abroad, as well as groups that hold certain positions in Türkiye’s political environment. It is important to investigate separately what role each of these factors plays in the process.
Relations between the two countries are built on a sufficiently solid foundation. Our ties, shaped by the “One nation, two states” principle, are not based on political interests alone. We are bound by moral, historical, cultural and national ties. These relations have a special place in the system of international relations. Therefore, these attempts will not be able to have a fundamental impact on relations between the two countries. Because both Azerbaijan and Turkish societies are interested in preserving and further developing these relations.”
Oqtay Qasımov
The political analyst noted that as much as Türkiye is a valuable and important partner for Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan is equally significant for Türkiye:
“Azerbaijan holds an important position in terms of Türkiye’s relations in the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia directions. At the same time, Türkiye is an important partner for Azerbaijan in terms of access to the West, to international markets and to broader economic spaces.
In this context, the importance attached to Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations in Devlet Bahçeli’s recent statements should also be noted. Such messages once again bring the strategic character of relations between the two countries onto the agenda.
Azerbaijan-Türkiye friendship, alliance and brotherhood have the potential to develop further. Both countries can play an important role in the integration of the Turkic world in the future and in its transformation into a stronger actor on the international stage. The sustainability of this cooperation is important both in terms of our historical ties and our common strategic interests.”
Safura Bənnayeva
Globalinfo.az
