Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Azerbaijan Tuesday for a two-day visit and, with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, traveled to Shusha, a city that Azerbaijan recaptured from Armenian forces in last autumn’s war.
Shusha, a center of Azeri culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. Its retaking by Azerbaijan’s forces in November was important both symbolically and strategically because it sits high above the region’s nearby capital, Stepanakert.
Click to Gallery
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Azerbaijan Tuesday for a two-day visit and, with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, traveled to Shusha, a city that Azerbaijan recaptured from Armenian forces in last autumn’s war.
“Today is a historic day,” Aliyev said after the signing. “The declaration raises our relations to the highest level."
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia after a separatist war there ended in 1994.
Armenia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned Erdogan's and Aliyev's visit to Shusha in a statement, calling it “provocative actions” that “significantly harm international efforts to establish stability in the region and (that) are absolutely unacceptable.”
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, left, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan embrace each other in Fuzuli, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Fuzuli is city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Fuzuli came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, pose for photos outside Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan embrace each other after they have signed " the Shusha Declaration " in Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, is a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
In Shusha, Erdogan and Aliyev held talks and signed a declaration “on allied relations” between the two countries aimed at deepening ties in several areas of cooperation, including security.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, points an area to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
“Today is a historic day,” Aliyev said after the signing. “The declaration raises our relations to the highest level."
Turkey actively supported Azerbaijan in the last war over Nagorno-Karabakh. After six weeks of fighting that killed more than 6,000 people, Azerbaijan regained control of much of the region and Armenian-held surrounding territories.
Erdogan, the first foreign leader to visit Shusha after it was retaken by Azerbaijan, also promised to open a Turkish consulate in the city. “In that way, we will ensure that our activities are carried out faster and more effectively,” he said.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, review a military honour guard in Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia after a separatist war there ended in 1994.
A Russia-brokered peace deal that ended the hostilities last November was celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan. But it sparked a political crisis in Armenia, with thousands of opposition supporters taking to the streets to protest the terms of the deal and to demand the resignation of Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Under pressure to step down, Pashinyan called snap elections, and the vote is scheduled to take place on June 20.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands after they have signed " the Shusha Declaration " in Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, is a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Armenia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned Erdogan's and Aliyev's visit to Shusha in a statement, calling it “provocative actions” that “significantly harm international efforts to establish stability in the region and (that) are absolutely unacceptable.”
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speak after they have signed " the Shusha Declaration " in Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, is a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, left, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan embrace each other in Fuzuli, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Fuzuli is city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Fuzuli came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, pose for photos outside Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan embrace each other after they have signed " the Shusha Declaration " in Shusha, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Shusha, is a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azerbaijani Turkish culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)