Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that activities with neighbouring Türkiye further strengthen stability in their region and beyond.
Aliyev said at a meeting on Thursday with security officials of Organization of Turkic States (OTS) member states in the Azerbaijani capital that relations between his country and Türkiye “occupy a special place and play a special role.”
Expressing that there are “no similar relations anywhere in the world,” Aliyev was quoted by the presidency as saying it is impossible to find a “second pair of countries so closely bound to each other,” with a multitude of factors converging such as historical ties, cultural connections and people-to-people relations.
“That is to say, Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations today constitute a vital factor in our region and the wider world, as a unified space. Our joint activities further strengthen stability in our region and beyond, especially in the current difficult geopolitical situation,” he said.
Aliyev described the Shusha Declaration signed with Ankara in 2021 as representing the “peak of our relations,” saying that while they were allies prior to the signing, the declaration formalised their alliance.
“More than five years have passed since that day, and with every passing year and month, our unity grows stronger and our role in the world is further reinforced,” said Aliyev.
Relations between Baku and Ankara were elevated to the level of an alliance with the Shusha Declaration, which Aliyev signed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a two-day visit to the South Caucasus nation by Erdogan.
The OTS was established in 2009 and adopted its current name at the Istanbul Summit in 2021. Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are members, while Turkmenistan, Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus hold observer status.
OTS Aliyev said that the overall sentiment among leaders of OTS member states is aimed at bolstering the role and position of the organisation on the international stage.
He said the potential of their countries is quite substantial and continues to grow, noting they are situated across a vast geographical expanse where crucial energy and transport routes and corridors pass through.
"To the west and east of the OTS region, our organisation is being closely watched with great interest as it strengthens its positive role in international affairs, including in matters related to connectivity, transport security, energy security, and security in general," said Aliyev.
“Therefore, I am confident that these issues will also be discussed at today’s council meeting, because today, without energy security and transport connectivity, it is virtually impossible to speak about overall security.”
He also described the stability, peace and security prevailing in their countries as a key factor in the successful development of the OTS, arguing that it is an important factor for development in today’s political and foreign policy realities.
"It is well known that no country can develop without stability and security. Neither investment, technology nor innovation will come to a country if there is no stability or political and economic security there. Therefore, today this is also a key factor that distinguishes our countries from many of the surrounding regions where we are located," he said.
Aliyev also said OTS countries are demonstrating strong economic growth, particularly at a time when they see opposite trends occurring in various parts of the globe.
