Baku, August 30, AZERTAC

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation consisting of members of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye led by Şamil Ayrım, head of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye interparliamentary friendship group.

Expressing gratitude for the reception, Şamil Ayrım conveyed greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to President Ilham Aliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the greetings and asked Şamil Ayrım to pass on his own greetings to the President of Türkiye.

Şamil Ayrım announced that the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye would participate as an observer with a large delegation in the parliamentary elections scheduled in Azerbaijan. He highlighted the significance of these elections as the first parliamentary elections held across the entire territory of Azerbaijan and emphasized the importance of ensuring the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He expressed his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the presence of the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, along with the leaders of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States, at the informal Summit of the Heads of State of the organization held in Shusha, as well as for Azerbaijan's continued support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Şamil Ayrım underlined that the brotherhood and friendship between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye define the roadmap for relations between the two countries. He noted that Azerbaijan's development and achievements evoke great pride in Türkiye, describing Azerbaijan as the shining star of the Caucasus.

Touching on Azerbaijan's increasing role in international relations, Şamil Ayrım remarked on the injustice and unfairness faced by the Azerbaijani delegation in several international organizations, particularly in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Şamil Ayrım expressed support for Azerbaijan's efforts to ensure sustainable peace in the region.

He praised the excellent preparations for COP29 to be held in Azerbaijan, wishing the country success in this international event.

Stressing the importance of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye brotherhood and strategic alliance, President Ilham Aliyev noted that the two countries always stand by each other.

Addressing the regional situation, President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is a supporter of ensuring sustainable peace in the region. The head of state emphasized that, as he has stated multiple times, for this to happen, the territorial claims against Azerbaijan in the Armenian Constitution must be eliminated and the Constitution must be amended. The President of Azerbaijan emphasized that the OSCE Minsk Group and related institutions, which are remnants of the past, must be completely dissolved. The head of state said that Armenia's position on the non-dissolution of the Minsk Group is in no way understandable. “Because if the conflict is in the past and the Prime Minister of Armenia expresses support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, then what is the need to keep the Minsk Group, a remnant of the past?!” The head of state said that it seems Armenia is not interested in a peace treaty and achieving sustainable peace in the region. The President of Azerbaijan noted that Armenia deliberately prolongs the time, acquires new weapons from France, other Western countries, and other parties, and conducts military exercises with third parties on its territory.

Touching on the unjust and unfair attitude of anti-Azerbaijan forces towards the country in several Western institutions, the head of state emphasized that the stance against Azerbaijan in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is directly related to ensuring the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan continuously supports the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and stressed the importance of its participation in the informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States held in Shusha.

Addressing the meeting, members of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye interparliamentary friendship group pointed out that the two countries always stand by each other, adding that Azerbaijan's strength is Türkiye’s strength, and vice versa. They also noted the significance of the Azerbaijan-Türkiye brotherhood.