Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the spread of the Russia-Ukraine war into the Black Sea and attacks on civilian ships were unacceptable. Fidan made the remarks at a joint news conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku on Tuesday, September 15.
Fidan said the conflict spreading into the Black Sea threatened the lives of Turkish citizens and the operations of Turkish companies. He said civilian casualties and destruction were increasing with each passing day as the fighting continued.
Attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea
Fidan said Türkiye had worked since the beginning of the war to keep the Black Sea outside the conflict zone, adding that these efforts had achieved partial results through the careful implementation of the Montreux Convention and the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Fidan said attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea in recent months had created serious risks to the safety of life, property, maritime transport and the environment. Saying that Turkish and Azerbaijani sailors had been killed in the attacks, Fidan stressed that the conflict spreading into the Black Sea was unacceptable.
Fidan said the parties had received the necessary warnings on the issue and stated that common ground could be found to reach an agreement if political will was demonstrated and the parties acted in good faith. He said Türkiye was increasing its initiatives to end the conflict and would continue working for peace.
Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations
Fidan said Türkiye and Azerbaijan had resolved major issues together on the basis of centuries-old friendship. Saying that relations between the two countries continued under the principle of “one nation, two states,” Fidan thanked the presidents of both countries for their leadership.
Fidan said his visit to Baku coincided with the 108th anniversary of the liberation of Baku by the Caucasian Islamic Army under the command of Nuri Pasha, and commemorated with respect those who lost their lives for independence. He said he had held various meetings during his visit, particularly with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and listened to assessments on the bilateral and regional agenda.
Fidan said that, in addition to trade and economic relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, cooperation in energy, transport and connectivity carried strategic importance. He stated that joint exercises in defense and security, the sharing of experience and training, and cooperation between defense industry organizations had elevated relations between the two countries to the level of an alliance.
Emphasis on peace in the South Caucasus
Recalling that Türkiye had supported Azerbaijan’s legitimate cause during the years when Karabakh was under occupation, Fidan said the priority today was to establish lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region. He said he was pleased with the latest developments toward a final peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia and with Baku’s constructive position.
Fidan said he believed that a new period of cooperation would begin in the South Caucasus once the process was completed. He said they wanted the region to be known not for conflict, but for peace, transport, energy, trade and economic development.
Fidan said the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States would be held in Ankara on October 29, followed by the organization’s 13th summit on October 30. He described the summit as a historic step that would strengthen the Turkic world’s shared vision of the future.
The Strait of Hormuz and regional security
Fidan also addressed the situation around the Strait of Hormuz, saying that Iran’s security, stability and prosperity directly affected the region, including Türkiye and Azerbaijan. Fidan called for the current conflict to be resolved through diplomatic means as soon as possible and said reciprocal attacks were seriously weakening peace efforts.
Fidan said safe, uninterrupted and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz must be ensured and called for a return to the pre-war situation as soon as possible. He said contacts with the relevant parties were continuing to resolve the crisis and establish peace and security in the region.
Call for diplomacy over the Russia-Ukraine war
Fidan said statements warning that the war could spread beyond the Black Sea to other European countries had occasionally come to the fore. He said Türkiye maintained its position that the war must not begin, must not spread and must end immediately.
Fidan said Türkiye’s contacts with the parties had helped facilitate agreements such as the Grain Deal and prisoner exchanges. He said the parties had come very close to signing a peace agreement text during the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul, but the process could not be completed.
Fidan said the war was harming not only the region but also the global economy, adding that the parties needed to reach an understanding that attacks on energy infrastructure were unacceptable and declare a moratorium. He said the United Nations, the United States, Türkiye and some other countries were working on the issue.
Fidan said talks with the parties were continuing, with the Black Sea as a priority, and that Türkiye had submitted proposals and was trying to reconcile the parties’ responses on the basis of a common understanding. Saying that the war had turned from a war of attrition into a war of destruction over the past year, Fidan said civilian casualties had increased and that the conflict’s geographic scope, methods of warfare and targets had become more severe.
Fidan warned that energy prices, food security and the environment would face even greater risks if the war was not stopped. He said the parties needed to move toward an agreement to prevent the conflict from spreading further and avert new tragedies.
The Middle Corridor and railway links
Fidan said the connection between Türkiye and Azerbaijan through Nakhchivan was important for mutual access among the countries of the Turkic world, and highlighted the value of the Middle Corridor, in which Azerbaijan and Türkiye play important roles, for global trade.
Fidan said there was a vision that would provide the Turkic world with access to Anatolia and Europe, and Türkiye with access to the Turkic world via the Caspian Sea. He said the Zangezur Corridor and the Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu railway line were among the complementary elements of this connection.
Fidan said Türkiye and Azerbaijan had been holding talks on the issue for two years, adding that construction work on the Kars-Dilucu railway was continuing and that the line was targeted for completion by the end of 2029. He said completion of the line would make uninterrupted train travel from Azerbaijan to Türkiye possible and provide a significant logistics opportunity.
