Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova took part in the event celebrating the 99^th anniversary of the Republic of Turkiye at the Heydar Aliyev Centre on 29 October.

Sahiba Gafarova spoke at the gathering; she congratulated the brotherly Turkish people on the Republic Day cordially on behalf of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and extended the best wishes for them.

The path to establishing the Republic that the fraternal Turkiye set foot on under the leadership of the great Mustafa Kemal Ataturk 99 years ago has led to her becoming one of the most powerful states in the world, according to Mrs Gafarova. Especially, the consolidation of the Turkish nation’s creative force under the guidance of the President of the Republic of Turkiye, an outstanding politician and statesman Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the past years has resulted in immense successes in all the areas of life. The large-scale projects that are being caried into life in Turkiye herself as well as in other parts of the world, especially, in the South Caucasus involving Turkiye serve the causes of well-being and progress of peoples.

The Republic of Turkiye is highly regarded on the international stage; her political, economic, military, intellectual and moral potential as well as her geopolitical significance make one sit and take notice. Sahiba Gafarova proceeded to stress that the foreign policy of Turkiye was based on the criteria of fairness and integrity, the qualities that the international community is in so much need of just now. Then, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis said that the fraternal state’s impartial stance regarding international problems decidedly plays a stabilising role in the current dangerous epoch that the world is living in.

Going further, the Chair of the Milli Majlis spoke with pleasure of the progress of the friendship and brotherhood of Azerbaijan and Turkiye – the bonds that rest on the common roots and values. It was emphasised that the Shusha Declaration signed in June last year had elevated the bilateral relations to the summit of alliance.

Azerbaijan and Turkiye, ‘one nation in two states’ to use the coinage by Azerbaijan’s National Leader Heydar Aliyev, are always by each other’s side concerning all matters possible and, to quote the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, ‘there are no two other countries in the world as closely bonded.’

Sahiba Gafarova underscored the political and moral support of the President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the categorical position of the whole Turkiye, the Turkish nation at the time of the 44 days’ Patriotic War that was waged for Azerbaijani lands’ de-occupation. That support showed that Azerbaijan was not alone in her struggle for the just cause and gave her yet more strength thus playing a fundamental role in the ultimate grand prevalence.

Turkiye is by our side today, too, be it in the format of the restoration under way in Garabagh and East Zangazur or in regard to any other matter, Sahiba Gafarova emphasised.

Filled with joy and pride, we all followed the ground-breaking for the international airport of Zanghilan, attended by the Presidents of Turkiye and Azerbaijan. The same feelings were entertained when the international airport of Fuzuli was inaugurated last year and at the times of the other events held with the attendance of the two states’ heads. The Azerbaijani-Turkish unity and solidarity will bring further successes to our nations in the years to come, said confidently the leader of the Azerbaijani parliament.

In conclusion of her speech, Sahiba Gafarova repeated the heartfelt Republic Day congratulations and wished the brotherly Turkish people and the event participants constant prosperity and peace.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis