Turkey's parliament ratifies troop deployment to Azerbaijan

Turkey's parliament has approved a motion to extend the deployment of Turkish troops in Azerbaijan for one more year.

The Justice and Development (AK) Party, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the opposition Good (IYI) Party backed the motion on Wednesday.

"Turkey, which has strongly supported Azerbaijan from the very beginning of the process so that it can defend all its rights including its territorial integrity on the basis of international law and legitimate sovereign rights, is taking important initiatives for the preservation and strengthening of peace and stability in the region and for the construction and restoration of the economic infrastructure to facilitate this," the motion read.

It stated that the joint center in Karabakh formed by Turkish and Russian armed forces to monitor the cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia successfully continues its activities.

"Turkey also contributes to the security of the region and building trust between the parties through the joint centre," it added.

The motion was supposed to be debated in the parliament on Tuesday but to no avail due to a lack of quorum. It allows the Turkish military to carry out cross-border operations in Azerbaijan for another year, from November 17, 2021 until November 17, 2022.

READ MORE: Turkey joins Azerbaijan's celebrations of Karabakh victory anniversary

Liberation of Karabakh

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted on September 27, 2020, with the Armenian army attacking civilians and Azerbaijani forces, and violating several humanitarian ceasefire agreements.

During the 44-day war, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.

Prior to that, about 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory was under illegal occupation.

The fighting ended with a Russian-brokered agreement on November 10, 2020, with the ceasefire seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia.

Two months later, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a pact to develop economic ties and infrastructure to benefit the entire region. 

It also included the establishment of a trilateral working group on Karabakh.

READ MORE: Erdogan: Karabakh bloodshed is a result of silence on Armenia's occupation