Azerbaijan and Turkey are two close countries with common ethnic, religious, cultural and historical roots as well as strong geographical and political ties. The Communist rule caused a sense of remoteness for a long time but the collapse of the Soviet Union opened great chances for the further improvement of the relations. Ankara was the first capital, which officially recognized the independence of Azerbaijan. Furthermore, Turkey opened its first embassy in Baku among the other capitals of the newly independent Turkish states in the region. In addition to these, Turkish-Azerbaijan relations are not only important for political, economical, or cultural reasons but also carry great significance for geopolitical considerations in the region.
Turkey is an influential actor in the Caucasus and Central Asia due to several reasons. First of all, its geographical position makes Turkey be an Asian and a European state at the same time. Turkey does not only control important seaways and straits but also has a capacity of influencing economic and military affairs. Being a powerful member in NATO and its possible EU membership further strengthens its position. Turkey takes an active participation in international and regional organizations and considers itself as responsible of the protection of the peace and security in the region. Turkey played an important role in the establishment of national structures of the Caucasus and Central Asian states, and encouraged their inclusion to modern integration processes. Particular attention has been placed on the membership of the UN, OSCE and other international organizations.
Turkey has joined several international peace protection actions in recent years. The country participated in missions of UN in Somali and Bosnia-Herzegovina in this context. Besides these Turkey also contributed to the peace making process in Caucasus after the Cold War period and played an active role in for a solution in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
On the contrary to the general belief, the relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey has not always experienced an improving graph, particularly in the early years of independence. Ankara gave permission to transportation to Armenia through the Turkish territory under the pressure of some Western countries. Even if the permission of this transportation was only for humanitarian reasons, this led to an increase of tension between these two countries, especially between May 1992 and the early 1993. Besides these, the statement of Suleyman Demirel, the former president of the Republic of Turkey, underlined the urgency of the flour assistance due to humanitarian reasons. Mr. Demirel asked Azerbaijani people to behave in a more tolerant manner on this matter. All these things further increased the tension between two close countries. The official representatives of Azerbaijan tried to be careful in speaking on this matter in that time, but however did not hide their offenses.
The Minsk Group of OSCE carries the regulative mission of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This organization has been established in May 1992 in the city of Minsk and Turkey is one of its members. Turkey has a power of influence in finding a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict not only as a member of the Minsk Group, but also as an influential state in the region. Turkey took an active part in conferences of Minsk Group and showed its insistence on fair solutions under OSCE frame. Ankara demanded the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from occupied Azeri lands, resettlements of refugees and the maintenance of the territorial unity of Azerbaijan.
After the occupation of Kalbajar, Ankara gave an official statement and condemned the attacks of Armenian military forces in this region. Turkish government demanded an immediate end to the occupation without any conditions. Furthermore, Turkish government closed its borders with Armenia and stated that the opening of these borders might be possible on the condition of freeing of occupied Azeri lands.
In November 1992, the foreign minister of Azerbaijan sent an official note to Turkey and expressed their unrest on the energy agreement, between Turkey and Armenia. Turkish government did not give an official response to this note but the Turkish officials declared that, their aim was to oblige Armenia to accept peace. Particularly, the minister of foreign affairs of the date, Mr. Hikmet Cetin underlined this notion and emphasized that food assistance to Armenia was only for humanitarian reasons.
A group of Turkish members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council submitted a letter to the chairman of the organization and condemned the Armenian attacks. The letter dealt with the assistance to Armenia in particular and asked for sanctions on Armenia in order to provide the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azeri lands.
The Foreign Ministry of Turkey issued an official statement and declared that Ankara would close its air space to Armenia. By doing so, Turkey cut all the ways of carrying humanitarian assistance to this country through its territory. Prime Minister of the date, Mr. Demirel said that Armenia used this humanitarian assistance for other purposes and stated that air and land transportation links with Armenia were closed. Following this, he called the permanent members of Security Council of the UN to take an active measure to stop the occupation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
There were also several reasons, keeping Turkey away from playing a decisive role in the conflict. First of all, Turkish officials did not want to spoil relations with Russia. Secondly, the powerful Armenian lobby in France and the US put pressure on Turkey. Moreover, the allies of Turkey in NATO had no interests to interfere in this conflict. And lastly, Turkey had some problems in its inner politics in those years and its instability further hindered its support to Azerbaijan.
Nevertheless, the support of Turkey is still unnegligible. Mr. Demirel backed the position of Azerbaijan in the meeting of the High Assembly of the UN. Armenian military forces also attacked Naxcivan in 1992. Turgut Ozal, the ex president of Turkey, insisted on sending Turkish military forces to the region as a response to these attacks and based his arguments on the "Gars Agreement”, singed between Turkey and Soviet Union in 1921. The ex president stressed the protection rights of his country on Naxchevan and demanded from the Turkish government to send troops to the region. On the other side, Yevgeniy Shapohnikov, the chief commander of the Union of the Independent States gave a sharp response and asserted, "it will be give way to the Third World War in such a third party interference”. Mr. Shapohnikov’s words limited the opportunity of interference of Turkey to this conflict.
Mr. Ozal emphasized the unrest of Turkey in his visit to Azerbaijan in 1993. The Turkish president of the date stated that the occupation policies of this country made it clear that Armenians were aiming to create "Great Armenia” on the account of Azeri lands. Mr. Ozal backed Azerbaijan in its peacemaking attempts and stated that, his country supported the peace negotiations in the region and the other world states, as well. The ex president underlined the unacceptability of the occupation of Azeri lands and warned Armenia that the military forces of this country would be expelled in case not leaving the territory by their own will. Furthermore, Mr. Ozal stressed the significance of defending Azerbaijan in its fair struggle.
Suleyman Demirel, the former president of the Republic of Turkey, visited Azerbaijan on the 7th December 1995 as a response to Haydar Aliyev’s official invitation. Mr. Demirel stated that the Turkish support on Azerbaijan would continue and further promised that Turkey would increase its attempts within the Minsk Group. Mr. Demirel’s visit carried great importance. The cooperation and the partnership between these two countries reached its peak after these meetings and Turkey increased its attempts considerably to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkish officials made an offer for an active meditative mission in carrying out negotiations under the Minsk Group after this visit.
The aggression of Armenia to Azerbaijan and the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh transformed into all-nation problem only thanks to the zeal of the president Haydar Aliyev and in the way of solution of this conflict it was started to carrying out the policy in the direction of official Ankara.
Haydar Aliyev implemented an active foreign policy after the ceasefire, in 1994. The former president of Azerbaijan exposed how Armenians breached the International Law. Mr. Aliyev gave a speech on the close relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan on an official visit to this country in February 1998. The Azeri president emphasized the significance of the partnership between the two countries. Mr. Aliyev underlined the importance of the assistance of Turkey to his country. He paid particular attendance to their problems with Armenia in his speech and mentioned that the role of Turkey was irreplaceable. Mr. Demirel and Mr. Aliyev gave a press conference together during this visit. Problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia were one of the main topics also in this conference. Mr. Demirel stated that; "…The conclusions of the Lisbon Summit of OSCE and the report, submitted by the Minsk Group in the Copenhagen Summit create our main position. Caucasus needs peace, stability and prosperity and the Armenian leaders should know it. Any other probabilities, except the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan are regarded unacceptable…”
The current politicians of the two countries also continue to implement a close relationship with Azerbaijan. Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the president of Turkey, visited Azerbaijan on 11 July 2001 as a response to Mr. Aliyev’s invitation. Mr. Sezer clearly stated his criticisms on the stand of Armenia. The president said that; "Armenia, who occupies the 20% of the Azerbaijani territories by ignoring international legal regulations and resolutions of United Nations creates threat to peace and stability in the region. Turkey will continue her peaceful efforts in finding a solution and supports the just position of Azerbaijan Republic. We are always ready to defend a fair peace, which would be accepted with the free will of Azeri people. Turkey will support any peaceful solution which will be accepted by Azeri people”.
Just like Mr. Sezer, the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, supported the position of Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mr. Erdogan underlined the resolute stand of Turkey in not opening their Armenian borders unless the problem is solved in accordance with the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
However, Turkey is not included to the co-chairmanship of the Minsk Group. This limits the capability of Turkey in carrying effective negotiations with conflicting sides. The influence of the country would undoubtedly increase if it were a member of the group. On the other hand, solving the problem also carries importance for the Turkish side as well as the Azerbaijani one. Armenia does not only threaten Azerbaijan in the region but is also a potential threat for the whole Turkish world. Armenia has raised territorial claims on Turkish territories for a long time and uses her claims of genocide in order to achieve its ends. The recent international support of Armenians and the ability of Armenia in distracting the public opinion from the truth explicitly show the urgency of the situation.
Akif Maharramzadeh,
Post-graduated student of the Institute of Oriental Studies named after academician Z.M.Bunyadov National Science Academy of Azerbaijan
Turkish-Iranian Relations and Recent Development in the Region
