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ALIYEV'S VISIT: STRENGTHENING AZERBAIJAN-TURKEY STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP - ANALYSIS
Eurasia Review
February 23, 2015 Monday
By Kamer Kasim
The relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan can be defined as a
true strategic partnership. Since its first days of independence,
Azerbaijan has always had the support of Turkey in its struggle to
recover its territorial integrity. The motto of "two states, one
nation" has frequently been used to define the relationship between
the two states. And now, the tension originating from misconceptions
surrounding around the Turkey-Armenia protocols has been swiftly
resolved. The high-level visits and intense frequency of contacts
between these two countries have help to preserve their strategic
partnership.
The fact that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev chose Turkey as
the first official destination visit abroad after being elected
highlights the importance that both countries ascribe to their special
relationship. Indeed this year was not the only year that Ilham Aliyev
made Turkey the first destination of his choice; he also did so in
2013. Additionally, Azerbaijan was the second country after the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus to be visited by Recep Tayyip Erdogan after
his election as a President. The two leader met on 2-3 September 2014.
Aliyev's most recent visit to Turkey coincided with the fourth meeting
of the Turkey-Azerbaijan High Level Strategic Cooperation Council,
which resulted in a joint declaration between the two countries
being issued on 15 January 2015. It was also here that a series of
agreements were signed endorsing bilateral cooperation to combat the
funding of terrorism via money laundering as well as the formation
of a partnership committee between Turkey's Ministry of Customs and
Trade and Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee.
Matters of economic and energy cooperation have always enjoyed a
predominant place in Turkey-Azerbaijan affairs. During Aliyev's
visit, President Erdogan expressed the objective to increase the
trade volume between the two countries to 15 billion dollars by 2023,
up from its current level of approximately 5 billion dollars. The
development of mutual investments is also another important topic in
the economic relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey. This can be
demonstrated in the 5 billion dollar investment of Azerbaijan on the
construction of the Star refinery in Turkey. Additionally, when it
comes to the flow of energy between the two countries, in addition to
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, the mega
project seen in the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) will be of
significant importance. The intergovernmental agreement on the project
was signed in 2012 and the pipeline is expected to become operational
in 2018. This pipeline exhibits a capacity of 16 billion cubic meters
(bcm) by 2020, 23 bcm by 2023 and 31 bcm by 2026. The purchase contract
for TANAP's main pipeline that was signed on 14 September 2014 between
Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as the completion of the project,
is a cornerstone of energy cooperation between the two countries.
Another topic that was discussed during Aliyev's visit was the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project. Here, President Erdogan stated that
the railroad will be open for usage by the end of 2015. During the
visit, president Erdogan also invited all heads of state to attend
the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign, announcing that
himself and Aliyev plan to meet for the event on 24 April 2015.
Among one of the many factors that have continue to affect
Turkey-Azerbaijan relations is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Similar views shared by Turkey
and Azerbaijan in this conflict have expressed the intensity of
existing Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic partnership. Because of this
that Azerbaijan has closely followed the dealings between Turkey and
Armenia. The worsening relations between Russia and the West after
the 2008 Russo-Georgian conflict have now come to be characterized by
an atmosphere reminiscent of the Cold War after Russia's annexation
of Crimea and the escalation of conflict in Eastern Ukraine. In this
environment, Azerbaijan's relationship with Turkey has become all the
more vital. Even though Azerbaijan has not experienced any significant
problems in its relations with Russia, its northern neighbor's use of
force to redefine borders and its formation of spheres of influence
are nonetheless a cause for concern. The presence of Russian military
forces in Armenia is another factor that should not go unnoticed.
While Armenia, which continues to occupy Azerbaijani territory, has
now became a part of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union project,
Azerbaijan declined and has instead opted to maintain its course of
multi-lateral diplomacy. In this way, Aliyev's policy can be seen as
an extension of Azerbaijan's dedication to preserving its independence.
Recent international conjunctures have also increased the degree to
which Turkey attaches importance to its relationship with Azerbaijan.
Close cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of energy could turn
Turkey into a prominent actor in the European energy market seeing
that Europe aims to decrease its dependence on Russian energy
resources. In an environment in which Russia draws the lines of
its own economic sphere with the Eurasian Economic Union, states
that are left out of this constellation such as Azerbaijan are
important for Turkey in terms of their ability to facilitate access
to the markets of the Asia-Pacific. In terms of access routes to
the People's Republic of China and eventually to the Asia-Pacific,
the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan corridor is an important project.
Turkmenistan already enjoys a very special relationship with China
and improvements are being seen in its relations with Azerbaijan.
Seeing that it is an item of central importance for Azerbaijani
foreign policy, Armenia's continued occupation of Karabakh and the
reclamation of these occupied provinces is in turn a critical topic in
Turkey-Azerbaijan relations overall. In this sense, Azerbaijan had been
nervous about the lack of any mention of the Karabakh issue throughout
Turkey and Armenia's process of developing bilateral protocols. The
thought that Turkey would turn around on its commitment and open
its land borders with Armenia without a resolution to the Karabakh
issue caused concerns to rise in Azerbaijan. However, in what may
be considered as Azerbaijan's most valued moment of Aliyev's visit
to Turkey, President Erdogan stated that Azerbaijan's territorial
integrity should be assured through peaceful methods and that Turkey
would never back step on its support and dedication to the Azerbaijani
cause throughout the Turkish-Armenian protocol process. Yet, during
this time a significant rise has been observed in the amount and
intensity of propaganda aiming to open the Turkish-Armenian land
border. However, Turkey sealed these borders because of the Armenian
occupation of Karabakh; therefore, it would be contradictory for
Turkey to open the borders without a resolution to the Karabakh issue.
Moreover, opening the borders would not pose an economic gain for
Turkey, and even if they were to be opened, contrary to the beliefs
of some Western countries, Armenia may not come to focus on the West
seeing that it is now a part of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Furthermore, opening the borders would not free Turkey of the
allegations of genocide that it is confronted with, as the well-rooted
Armenian diaspora will continue to push the issue.
Turkey and Azerbaijan's continued efforts to strengthen their strategic
partnership will bolster both countries' positions in the region and
worldwide. The protection of this partnership and intimate state of
bilateral relations will continue to depend on the exertion of the
two countries' leaders as well as the maintenance of comprehensive,
continuous inter-institutional dialogue.
*This article was first published in Analist Monthly Journal's February
issue in Turkish language and was translated into English language
by Å~^eyma Okutan
Eurasia Review
February 23, 2015 Monday
By Kamer Kasim
The relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan can be defined as a
true strategic partnership. Since its first days of independence,
Azerbaijan has always had the support of Turkey in its struggle to
recover its territorial integrity. The motto of "two states, one
nation" has frequently been used to define the relationship between
the two states. And now, the tension originating from misconceptions
surrounding around the Turkey-Armenia protocols has been swiftly
resolved. The high-level visits and intense frequency of contacts
between these two countries have help to preserve their strategic
partnership.
The fact that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev chose Turkey as
the first official destination visit abroad after being elected
highlights the importance that both countries ascribe to their special
relationship. Indeed this year was not the only year that Ilham Aliyev
made Turkey the first destination of his choice; he also did so in
2013. Additionally, Azerbaijan was the second country after the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus to be visited by Recep Tayyip Erdogan after
his election as a President. The two leader met on 2-3 September 2014.
Aliyev's most recent visit to Turkey coincided with the fourth meeting
of the Turkey-Azerbaijan High Level Strategic Cooperation Council,
which resulted in a joint declaration between the two countries
being issued on 15 January 2015. It was also here that a series of
agreements were signed endorsing bilateral cooperation to combat the
funding of terrorism via money laundering as well as the formation
of a partnership committee between Turkey's Ministry of Customs and
Trade and Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee.
Matters of economic and energy cooperation have always enjoyed a
predominant place in Turkey-Azerbaijan affairs. During Aliyev's
visit, President Erdogan expressed the objective to increase the
trade volume between the two countries to 15 billion dollars by 2023,
up from its current level of approximately 5 billion dollars. The
development of mutual investments is also another important topic in
the economic relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey. This can be
demonstrated in the 5 billion dollar investment of Azerbaijan on the
construction of the Star refinery in Turkey. Additionally, when it
comes to the flow of energy between the two countries, in addition to
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, the mega
project seen in the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) will be of
significant importance. The intergovernmental agreement on the project
was signed in 2012 and the pipeline is expected to become operational
in 2018. This pipeline exhibits a capacity of 16 billion cubic meters
(bcm) by 2020, 23 bcm by 2023 and 31 bcm by 2026. The purchase contract
for TANAP's main pipeline that was signed on 14 September 2014 between
Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as the completion of the project,
is a cornerstone of energy cooperation between the two countries.
Another topic that was discussed during Aliyev's visit was the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project. Here, President Erdogan stated that
the railroad will be open for usage by the end of 2015. During the
visit, president Erdogan also invited all heads of state to attend
the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign, announcing that
himself and Aliyev plan to meet for the event on 24 April 2015.
Among one of the many factors that have continue to affect
Turkey-Azerbaijan relations is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Similar views shared by Turkey
and Azerbaijan in this conflict have expressed the intensity of
existing Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic partnership. Because of this
that Azerbaijan has closely followed the dealings between Turkey and
Armenia. The worsening relations between Russia and the West after
the 2008 Russo-Georgian conflict have now come to be characterized by
an atmosphere reminiscent of the Cold War after Russia's annexation
of Crimea and the escalation of conflict in Eastern Ukraine. In this
environment, Azerbaijan's relationship with Turkey has become all the
more vital. Even though Azerbaijan has not experienced any significant
problems in its relations with Russia, its northern neighbor's use of
force to redefine borders and its formation of spheres of influence
are nonetheless a cause for concern. The presence of Russian military
forces in Armenia is another factor that should not go unnoticed.
While Armenia, which continues to occupy Azerbaijani territory, has
now became a part of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union project,
Azerbaijan declined and has instead opted to maintain its course of
multi-lateral diplomacy. In this way, Aliyev's policy can be seen as
an extension of Azerbaijan's dedication to preserving its independence.
Recent international conjunctures have also increased the degree to
which Turkey attaches importance to its relationship with Azerbaijan.
Close cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of energy could turn
Turkey into a prominent actor in the European energy market seeing
that Europe aims to decrease its dependence on Russian energy
resources. In an environment in which Russia draws the lines of
its own economic sphere with the Eurasian Economic Union, states
that are left out of this constellation such as Azerbaijan are
important for Turkey in terms of their ability to facilitate access
to the markets of the Asia-Pacific. In terms of access routes to
the People's Republic of China and eventually to the Asia-Pacific,
the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan corridor is an important project.
Turkmenistan already enjoys a very special relationship with China
and improvements are being seen in its relations with Azerbaijan.
Seeing that it is an item of central importance for Azerbaijani
foreign policy, Armenia's continued occupation of Karabakh and the
reclamation of these occupied provinces is in turn a critical topic in
Turkey-Azerbaijan relations overall. In this sense, Azerbaijan had been
nervous about the lack of any mention of the Karabakh issue throughout
Turkey and Armenia's process of developing bilateral protocols. The
thought that Turkey would turn around on its commitment and open
its land borders with Armenia without a resolution to the Karabakh
issue caused concerns to rise in Azerbaijan. However, in what may
be considered as Azerbaijan's most valued moment of Aliyev's visit
to Turkey, President Erdogan stated that Azerbaijan's territorial
integrity should be assured through peaceful methods and that Turkey
would never back step on its support and dedication to the Azerbaijani
cause throughout the Turkish-Armenian protocol process. Yet, during
this time a significant rise has been observed in the amount and
intensity of propaganda aiming to open the Turkish-Armenian land
border. However, Turkey sealed these borders because of the Armenian
occupation of Karabakh; therefore, it would be contradictory for
Turkey to open the borders without a resolution to the Karabakh issue.
Moreover, opening the borders would not pose an economic gain for
Turkey, and even if they were to be opened, contrary to the beliefs
of some Western countries, Armenia may not come to focus on the West
seeing that it is now a part of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Furthermore, opening the borders would not free Turkey of the
allegations of genocide that it is confronted with, as the well-rooted
Armenian diaspora will continue to push the issue.
Turkey and Azerbaijan's continued efforts to strengthen their strategic
partnership will bolster both countries' positions in the region and
worldwide. The protection of this partnership and intimate state of
bilateral relations will continue to depend on the exertion of the
two countries' leaders as well as the maintenance of comprehensive,
continuous inter-institutional dialogue.
*This article was first published in Analist Monthly Journal's February
issue in Turkish language and was translated into English language
by Å~^eyma Okutan