NEWS CENTER-Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who was the first to speak at the meeting, said:
"Shusha was in captivity for 28 years, but it did not lose its spirit. The liberation of Shusha was one of the shares of the second Karabakh. The brotherly Turkish people were with us. Your statement in the first hours of the Karabakh War showed the whole world that brother Turkey is on the side of Azerbaijan. You and the brother Turkish people were with us for 44 days. This will never be forgotten. We are grateful to you and the brotherly Turkish people. Your support increased our spirit. The unity of Türkiye and Azerbaijan is eternal and is unshakable."
Here are the highlights of Erdogan's statements, speaking after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev:
"My dear brother, dear delegation members, dear press members, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings and affection on behalf of myself, my country and my nation. I am happy to be with you in the sixth year of the Karabakh Victory. This meaningful anniversary is described by the poet as "Our Shusha, bunched with the most fragrant roses, like the most cherished word in our language, like a hearth that warms our souls, like embers." I am also pleased to realize that I am in beautiful Shusha, the city of history, nature and culture.
"KARABAKH VICTORY CONTINUES TO BE A SOURCE OF PRAISE OF THE ENTIRE TURKISH GEOGRAPHY"
At the very beginning of my words, I remember with gratitude and respect all our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Karabakh. I express my gratitude to our veterans and pray to God Almighty for their health, well-being and long lives. Six years ago, the Azerbaijani people, united under the astute leadership of my brother Ilham, liberated Karabakh again with great heroism. This glorious victory continues to be the most beautiful manifestation of Azerbaijan's just cause and a source of pride for the entire Turkish geography.
As you all know, the relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan have passed through various tests of history and reached their current advanced level. This unity of heart that we describe with the motto "One nation, two states"; It is an undying torch that sheds light on our future with the strength it draws from our common past. Our brotherhood goes beyond a common language, history and culture. This is why we know the joy of Baku as the joy of Ankara, the pride of Shusha as the pride of our entire nation.
"OUR TOGETHER WILL ALWAYS STAY"
Those who want to weaken this brotherhood that we have strengthened with the bond of alliance with the declaration we signed in Shusha on June 15, 2021; He will never be able to achieve his goals, neither today nor tomorrow, as he did yesterday. With the permission of God Almighty, our togetherness will always last. We are also working with all our strength to make this vision dominant in the Turkish world. The advanced level that our Organization of Turkish States has reached today; It is the most concrete result of our common will and efforts. On this occasion, I would like to thank Azerbaijan for its efforts for the unity and solidarity of the Turkish world during the term presidency. Hopefully, we will strive to ensure that the organization has a more effective and institutional structure during our term presidency.
Dear press members, Azerbaijan's liberation of its own lands from occupation with the 44-day Homeland War has opened the door to a new era in the South Caucasus. The task before us today is to crown the victory won in the squares with permanent peace and stability. As we embrace Azerbaijan's rightful struggle, we also support its sincere efforts to establish permanent peace in our region. We follow with great appreciation the efforts made by Azerbaijan for the reconstruction of Karabakh and the restoration of the region's former vitality. Every furnace that smokes again, every work that rises and historical heritage that is revived in Karabakh shows the faith of the Azerbaijani people in the future. Hopefully, we will continue to share our experience and contribute to reconstruction and development efforts on this path.
Most recently, we were proud to open the Türkiye-Azerbaijan International Forestry Training Center and Nursery Facility in Cebrail. This facility, established with the contributions of our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, has become a new sign of Türkiye-Azerbaijan cooperation. In addition, the construction of our 14,500 square meter school with 40 classrooms has started in Aghdam. Hopefully, we will open it with my brother İlham next year.
My dear brothers and sisters, as I end my words, we passed through 7 different tunnels especially today while coming here. These 7 tunnels reveal how successful the construction of infrastructure in the region has been. And as we come to Shusha, we are fortunate to see where we have come from. I believe that Shusha will be much different the next time we come. Fuzuli will be different. Because there is a leader and a team who believes in this work and is committed to it. And this leader, this team continues on its way with the same belief and determination. Once again, I remember with mercy our beloved martyrs who engraved the Karabakh victory in our history with their lives and blood. I express my gratitude to our heroic veterans. Once again, I wholeheartedly congratulate this glorious victory of my Azerbaijani brothers. As Türkiye and the Turkish nation, we will continue to be with you always, to know your sorrow as our grief and your joy as our joy.
At the end of my words, I cannot help but use the famous expressions of the late Bahtiyar Vahapzade: "All of our situations are one. Our joy, our sorrow. Our crescent on the flags is Azerbaijan-Türkiye." I pray that God grant that our crescent and star red flag and the glorious Azerbaijani flag will fly side by side in the skies forever. I celebrate November 9 State Flag Day with my most heartfelt feelings, and I send my greetings and affection to the brotherly people of Azerbaijan. I would like to thank my brother İlham for his warm hosting.
