Azerbaijan reacts to Turkish criticism and peace treaty demands

The Azerbaijani Parliament’s working group on inter-parliamentary relations with Turkey has expressed concern regarding recent criticisms directed at President Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani state. The group issued a statement addressing biased information campaigns in Turkish media and social networks, as well as unfounded accusations made by certain members of the ‘Justice and Development’ party and Oktay Saral, a chief advisor to the Turkish President.

The statement emphasized that Azerbaijan and Turkey maintain a strategic partnership based on the ‘one nation, two states’ principle, which necessitates the recognition of both as independent and sovereign entities. Azerbaijan rejected attempts to impose external political or ideological views on its domestic affairs, specifically regarding its secular state structure and educational policies.

In a separate development regarding regional peace, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has emphasized the necessity of signing and ratifying a peace agreement with Azerbaijan, describing it as the ‘cornerstone’ of Armenia’s stability. However, tensions remain as Azerbaijan has demanded changes to the Armenian Constitution and the removal of references to the Declaration of Independence as a condition for the treaty. Critics suggest this demand aims to reset Armenia’s legal and political foundations.