Speaker of the Milli Mejlis, Sahiba Gafarova, spoke at an event organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Azerbaijan on October 29 in celebration of Türkiye’s national holiday.

First, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova conveyed the congratulations and best wishes of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on the occasion of Türkiye's Republic Day.

In her address, the Speaker of the Milli Mejlis remarked that 101 years ago, the heroic people of Türkiye led by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had become united as one for the common goal and had once again demonstrated to the whole world their unwavering determination in the struggle for independence. The proclamation of the Republic on 29 October 1923 was indeed the final and decisive victory of this unshakeable will.

According to the Speaker, since its founding the Republic of Türkiye has confidently moved forward, overcoming all difficulties and obstacles in its path to preserve and strengthen its statehood, as well as to ensure the independent national development. Türkiye's achievements, especially over the past twenty years, are clear evidence of how far it has come. Türkiye has made remarkable progress in political, economic, military, scientific, technological, and other fields under the wise and far-sighted leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Speaker of the Milli Mejlis stated also that today Türkiye, which has a decisive influence on global processes and makes a significant contribution to peace and stability, rightfully ranks among the leading and powerful states in the world. As she added, in the second century of its independence, Türkiye will continue on the path of sustainable development and will achieve even greater successes and victories.

We in Azerbaijan are very happy and proud of every achievement of Türkiye. Which is natural, as this reality reflects the will of our peoples, connected by common history, roots, and national-spiritual values. The modern relationship between Azerbaijan and Türkiye vividly embodies the famous phrase of the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev: ‘One nation—two states.’ According to Sahiba Gafarova, the most remarkable feature of these relations is that our countries and peoples stand together in both joyful and sorrowful times, supporting each other unconditionally and without hesitation on all issues.

It was said then that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the fraternal Turkish people had supported, resolutely and unequivocally, Azerbaijan’s righteous struggle for the liberation of her territories from the occupation, which showed the world at large the unity and solidarity of Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

As the Speaker of the Milli Majlis then stated, the Azerbaijani-Turkish fraternal and friendly relations are experiencing a historic period today. Thanks to the will and joint efforts of our states, these relations have reached their highest point, that is, an alliance. The Shusha Declaration signed three years ago not only defines the directions and goals for the future development of our allied relations but also reflects the eternity and irreversibility of the brotherhood, unity, and solidarity between Azerbaijan and Türkiye. The speaker emphasized that, as stated by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, there are no countries as close and interconnected as Türkiye and Azerbaijan. These fraternal relations also serve the common welfare and progress.

According to Sahiba Gafarova, the co-operation between our countries is developing in all directions in accordance with the spirit of alliance currently. The fruitful work done by the Joint Inter-Governmental Commission as well as the consistent growth of economic and trade indicators, mutual investments, as well as close cooperation in military, technological, transportation, energy, and other sectors, are the result of the successful implementation of the goals set by the leaders of our states. Additionally, our humanitarian ties, that is, the co-operation in the fields of science, education, and culture, serve to further strengthen the bonds between our fraternal peoples and to pass on shared values to future generations.

As the Speaker of the Milli Majlis said, Azerbaijan and Türkiye present a peace and co-operation agenda in the international arena these days. The joint projects implemented and the initiatives proposed make a significant contribution to the stability, security, and development of the broader region.

The expansion of ties with other Turkic states, which are members of the same family, and the steps taken to institutionalize the Turkic States Organisation create opportunities for closer unification of the Turkic World.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis concluded her speech by expressing a confidence that the fraternity and alliance of Azerbaijan and Türkiye as well as their unity and solidarity would continue progressing and reaching new heights constantly.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis