Turkish president hails Turkish-Azerbaijani ties

Turkey and Azerbaijan need to act in solidarity, cooperation and brotherhood, Turkish President Abdullah Gül said Monday during a two-day formal visit to the Caucasus country.

“We are one nation with separate states. We come together frequently based on such an understanding. We will continue our solidarity and cooperation,” Gül said Monday after signing a treaty of strategic partnership and mutual cooperation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

During his visit, Gül met with Aliyev and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, who expressed confidence Tuesday that the Turkish president’s visit would contribute to the extension of useful working relations for the welfare of the two peoples.

Highlighting the strategic partnership and mutual assistance agreement signed Monday, Gül said: “Agreements are a clear proof of the importance of political relations. Our bilateral relations continue to develop, including in the political, security, economic and cultural fields. We discussed today ways to promote our relations.”

Speaking at a joint press conference Monday with Aliyev following a meeting between the Turkish and Azerbaijani delegations, Gül said he was thankful to “brotherly” Azerbaijan for the hospitality displayed to him and the members of his delegation.

Aliyev said Turkey and Azerbaijan share a deep friendship based on history. “President Gül’s current visit to Azerbaijan will contribute to the development of our relations.”

Gül said Turkey would continue to support Azerbaijan in its conflict with neighboring Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

“We discussed today what must be done to make the Caucasus a region of stability and security; we talked about the solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and the end of the occupation in Azerbaijani territory,” he said.

Speaking at the joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Aliyev said: “Azerbaijan will continue to make political and diplomatic efforts for its territorial integrity. I believe that we will realize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.” He also thanked Turkey for its support on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

“Turkey will continue to make efforts so that the issue of occupied Azeri territory gets solved,” Gül said. “I want all of my Azeri brothers and sisters to know that Turkey is, and will always be, on the side of Azerbaijan.”

In response to a question on visa liberalization with Turkey, Aliyev said the issue of visas did come up Monday and that visa liberalization would take place once Azerbaijan makes the necessary internal arrangements.

“Resolving the problems will lead to greater cooperation, the opening up of the borders, the construction of new highways and the creation of bigger economic activities,” said Gül, who was accompanied on the trip by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Energy Minister Taner Yıldız.

“Big problems can be solved by silent diplomacy and this is how we will solve the problems of the region,” the Turkish president said.


/Hurriyet Daily News/