The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Jeyhun Bayramov and Hakan Fidan, spoke by phone on February 8. During the phone conversation, regional security issues, including cooperation within the framework of bilateral alliance relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, joint efforts in international organizations and multilateral platforms were discussed. Additionally, an exchange of views was held on the situation in the Middle East, the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, as well as other matters of mutual interest.
Following the "Shusha Declaration," the strategic allies Azerbaijan and Turkey coordinate their foreign and security policies. Regular phone conversations between the foreign ministers are part of this policy.
The upcoming visit of U.S. Vice President James Wences to Azerbaijan in a few days and the topics he will discuss in Baku also interest Turkey.
Earlier, the visit of a delegation led by Iran's Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Support, Aziz Nasirzadeh, to Baku attracted Ankara's attention. In the current difficult situation for Iran, the visit of this country's defense minister to Azerbaijan was not an ordinary event. Iran is checking the pulse of its neighbors in case a war with the U.S. begins.
However, there is no need to check Azerbaijan's pulse; it has been repeatedly stated that our country is against tension in the region and has neither permitted nor will permit the use of Azerbaijan's territory against neighbors by any country.
The visit of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, countries with which relations previously had questions, was received with interest in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has always maintained good relations with both countries.
Meanwhile, news has circulated about a trilateral defense agreement being prepared between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. If such a military-political alliance is formed, the issue of Azerbaijan joining may also be brought up. As seen, there are plenty of topics for the foreign ministers of Turkey and Azerbaijan to discuss.
Elkhan Shahinoglu,
political analyst