Aliyev to Erdoğan: Türkiye became a major power after 44 days beside us

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a joint press conference in Shusha that they would never forget Türkiye’s support during the Second Karabakh War. “There are no peoples or states in the world as closely connected as ours,” Aliyev said.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev thanked Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a joint press conference with Erdoğan in Shusha on November 8, Victory Day. Aliyev said Erdoğan’s presence in Karabakh on Victory Day had pleased the Azerbaijani people and devoted much of his speech to Türkiye’s support during the 44-day war.

“Your historic words will never be forgotten”

Addressing Erdoğan, Aliyev said: “For 44 days, you, my dear brother, and the brotherly Turkish people stood by us. The statement you made in the first hours of the war and the telephone conversation you had with me showed the whole world that brotherly Türkiye stood with Azerbaijan.”

Recalling the first hours of the war, Aliyev said Erdoğan’s statement had given them additional strength and morale, adding: “Your historic words, ‘Azerbaijan is not alone; Türkiye stands with it,’ will never be forgotten.” Aliyev also said: “The Azerbaijani people know this very well and are therefore grateful to you personally and to the brotherly Turkish people. The political and moral support you showed further strengthened our morale.”

Aliyev stressed that the Second Karabakh War had once again demonstrated Türkiye-Azerbaijan unity and recalled that relations between the two countries had officially been elevated to the level of an alliance with the Shusha Declaration signed on June 15, 2021. According to Aliyev, Türkiye and Azerbaijan had always been allies even before the declaration.

“This is our great wealth”

“The peoples of Türkiye and Azerbaijan are brotherly peoples. There are no peoples or states in the world as closely connected as ours. This is our great wealth,” Aliyev said, adding that the Shusha Declaration had merely placed these historic and cultural ties within an official framework. Aliyev said: “Our shared history, ethnic roots, language, literature and spiritual values are what unite us.”

In footage recorded by CNN Türk correspondent Fulya Öztürk in the press conference hall, Aliyev described the bond between the two peoples as “great wealth” and said: “We are protecting this wealth. Our brotherhood and unity are unshakable.”

Aliyev said: “Those who want to undermine this will never achieve their aims. We, the two peoples and, above all, the two leaders, are protecting this wealth. We will not allow anyone to come between us or cast a shadow over our unity, brotherhood and solidarity for their own personal interests.”

“We are much stronger together”

Aliyev stressed that Türkiye had become a major power under Erdoğan’s leadership and had a say in global issues. “Türkiye’s strong economy, powerful industrial potential and political weight are facts today. This makes us very happy and strengthens us as well,” he said. Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan had also undergone significant development in recent years and said Türkiye-Azerbaijan unity was a factor for stability, cooperation and security across a broad geography.

Aliyev and Erdoğan at a joint press conference in Shusha

Aliyev concluded: “Despite the president’s busy schedule, his presence here in Karabakh on this Victory Day once again shows the whole world our unity. We were together in the past, we were together during the war, we are together today and we will be together in the future. Türkiye-Azerbaijan unity is eternal and unshakable.”

After the speeches, the two leaders shook hands and posed with their hands raised in the air.

Photo: AA, Presidency of Azerbaijan. Video: Fulya Öztürk / CNN Türk, social media

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Aliyev to Erdoğan: Türkiye became a major power after 44 days beside us