Joint statement from President Erdoğan and Aliyev

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who went to Karabakh for Azerbaijan's November 8 Victory Day, hold a joint press conference after the bilateral meeting in Shusha.

Highlights from the speech of Azerbaijani President Aliyev:

"Your support for Karabakh will never be forgotten. The peoples of Turkey and Azerbaijan are brothers. It is our common history that unites us. Our brotherhood is unshakable. Those who want to shake our brotherhood cannot come between us. Turkey stands by Azerbaijan. We are stronger together. Türkiye-Azerbaijan unity is an important factor in the region."

ERDOĞAN: OUR TOGETHER WILL ALWAYS BE

Highlights from President Erdoğan's speech:

"I remember all our Karabakh martyrs with gratitude. The Karabakh victory is a source of pride for the entire Turkish geography. Our brotherhood with Azerbaijan goes much further. Our unity sheds light on the future. Those who want to weaken our brotherhood cannot achieve their goals. Our unity will always be eternal."

"As I end my words, we passed through 7 different tunnels, especially while coming here today. These seven tunnels revealed how successful the infrastructure work in the region is. We are fortunate to see where we came from when we came to Shusha. I hope that our next visit to Shusha will be different because there is a leader and a staff who believe in this work and are committed to this work. This leader and this staff continue on their way with the same belief."

Before the visit, President Erdoğan sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

According to the statement made by the Presidency of Azerbaijan, Erdogan celebrated the 6th anniversary of the regaining of freedom of Azerbaijani lands, which were occupied for 30 years, in his letter. Erdogan congratulated Aliyev and all the Azerbaijani people on Victory Day.

Erdoğan included the following in his congratulatory letter:

"Azerbaijan's rightful struggle, crowned with a great victory, has become a source of pride for the entire Turkish world. The rapid progress of the reconstruction and revival of the regions liberated from occupation gives us all a sense of pride."

Touching on the importance of the bonds of brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan based on the understanding of "One nation, two states", which was reinforced with the Shusha Declaration, Erdogan continued as follows:

"As a result of the work we carry out in coordination to establish permanent peace, tranquility and stability in our region, the South Caucasus is no longer known as a region of conflict and instability, but as a region of cooperation and development. I wish God's mercy to our heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the fight for the independence of their homeland, I remember their cherished memories with respect and respect, and I express my gratitude to our veterans. Dear Brother, on this occasion, health and happiness to Your Excellency, brother I wish the Azerbaijani people a prosperous and peaceful future and convey my sincere greetings and wishes.”