DM Monitoring
ANKARA: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated Azerbaijan over its Shusha victory in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, vowing to support Baku in its fight against Armenian occupation.
Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that the army liberated Shusha from Armenian occupation. Shusha holds critical importance in the overall liberation of the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region. About 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory – including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions – have been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades. While world powers have called for a sustainable cease-fire, Turkey has supported Baku’s right to self-defense and demanded the withdrawal of Armenia’s occupying forces.
Multiple U.N. resolutions also call for the unconditional withdrawal of the invading forces.
Turkish officials on Sunday welcomed Azerbaijan’s liberation of the city of Shusha from Armenia’s occupation. Vice President Fuat Oktay said the establishment of sovereignty is an important development and good news for Azerbaijan.
“Shusha is liberated from the Armenian occupation. Congratulations on your victory, my dear brother (country),” Oktay said on Twitter.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also celebrated the news of Shusha, which he called the capital of culture. “On National Flag Day, the glorious Azerbaijani flag will fly over Shusha forever. Live in happiness with your tricolor flag, Azerbaijan,” he said. Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın shared his congratulations on the liberation of the strategically important city on Twitter.
Ömer Çelik, the spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), also expressed happiness over the Shusha victory.
Meanwhile, following the victory, Çavuşoğlu and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar had a meeting with Aliyev in Baku on Sunday.
Meanwhile, The Armenian government should be convinced to the negotiating table through common sense, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as the two leaders discussed recent regional developments including Nagorno-Karabakh in a phone call on Sunday. A statement by the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications said that Erdoğan underlined that Armenia should withdraw from Azerbaijani lands they have occupied. Azerbaijan’s counter-operation is limited to its own territory, the Turkish president said.
Erdoğan emphasized that it is of key importance to find a lasting solution to this conflict and bring stability to the region.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
