Turkish Deputy FM: "Negotiations in "3+3" format is of great importance"

A conference entitled "30th anniversary of the re-establishment of Turkish-Azerbaijani diplomatic relations" was organized by the Center for International Relations Analysis of Azerbaijan (AIR Center), Center for Strategic Research of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey (SAM) and the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) in Ankara.

Report informs that Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the AIR Center, said that a new reality has emerged in the South Caucasus as a result of the cooperation of Azerbaijan and Turkey.

According to him, Azerbaijan won the war in 2020 with the support of Turkey: "The Shusha Declaration is the beginning of new ties between the two countries. The adoption of this declaration in Shusha is symbolic."

Shafiyev also spoke about the ongoing processes in the region, including the normalization of the Turkish-Armenian and Armenian-Azerbaijan relations. He said that the conditions set for Armenia are a matter of security not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire region: "Turkey and Azerbaijan have the same goals in foreign policy, and these goals aim to bring peace to the region and achieve economic development."

Later on, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Turkey Rashad Mammadov said the 30-year history of relations is glorious. According to him, Turkey has stood by Azerbaijan in its most difficult days: "During this period, Azerbaijan and Turkey stood shoulder to shoulder, responded to the challenges and signed joint economic projects for the regional development. In this sense, the two brotherly countries have opened new perspectives for Europe and Asia and strengthened their independence."

In his speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Yavuz Selim Kiran said that the Shusha Declaration was discussed at the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and supported by all political parties. The deputy minister noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan have 300 bilateral agreements, and the Shusha Declaration is the most significant among these agreements.

He said that the Karabakh Victory opened up a window of new opportunities in the region and stressed the importance of the negotiations in the "3+3" format.
Head of Foreign Policy Studies Department at TESEV Murat Yerlitas said that the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations were exceptional: "After the Karabakh victory, relations became a full and inseparable strategic whole."