Turkey, Azerbaijan confirm political solidarity, energy cooperation

Turkey and Azerbaijan underlined solidarity as regional allies and reviewed energy cooperation as the presidents of the two countries sat down for talks during a visit by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Ankara, the first trip abroad since he was re-elected to his post for a third time last month. Speaking at a joint news conference with Aliyev on Tuesday, President Abdullah Gul confirmed Turkey's support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying Azerbaijan's territorial integrity is a "national issue" for Turkey as well. "We reviewed big economic projects, [cooperation in the fields of] gas, energy and transportation. We also discussed the issue of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and liberation of Azerbaijan's occupied territories, which is a national issue for Azerbaijan and which we also view as a national issue," Gul told the press conference. "I believe this [liberation of Azerbaijani territories] will be realized eventually," Gul also said, adding that such a resolution in the long-standing conflict should come through diplomacy. Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian-majority enclave in Azerbaijan, and seven surrounding Azerbaijani regions in a war with Baku in the early 1990s, prompting Turkey to close its border with neighboring Armenia in a sign of solidarity with its ally Azerbaijan. The conflict remains unresolved until today and has the potential to destabilize the region. It also hampers attempts at normalization between Turkey and Armenia, two estranged neighbors that are at odds not only because of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, but also because of Armenian claims of genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire at the beginning of last century. Two protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia to normalize relations and reopen the closed border were not implemented amid opposition from Azerbaijan, a regional ally and a key energy supplier for Turkey. "Turkey is always by our side on this matter; it is on the side of justice. Azerbaijan's lands have been under Armenian occupation for many years," Aliyev said for his part. He said Azerbaijani people in the occupied lands were subject to ethnic cleansing. "It is not possible to make peace with such injustice," he said. Aliyev said he and Gul discussed massive energy and transportation projects that connect the two countries, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. Underlining the close ties, Aliyev was awarded the Order of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Nisani) by President Gul for his outstanding success in strengthening bilateral ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan. President Gul was also awarded with the "Haydar Aliyev Order of the Republic" by Aliyev. "It is of the utmost importance for us to continue to maintain our friendship, brotherhood and good neighborly relations with Azerbaijan," Gul said during the ceremony. "Turkey is the closest friend, brother and ally country for us," Aliyev said, confirming the close relations between the two countries. Gul and Aliyev also visited the facilities of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) later in the day and watched demonstrations of the training aircraft "HURKUS" and the ATAK/T129 Attack and Tactical Reconnaissance Helicopter, which were designed and manufactured by TAI, from the flight tower at TAI's facilities. Aliyev is due to have talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday. Cabinet ministers from the two countries will also attend a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting, which takes place as a joint meeting of the cabinets of the two countries. Presidential elections took place in Azerbaijan on Oct. 9 this year and Aliyev has been re-elected to serve for the next five years. This is Aliyev's third term as president.