Political Scientist Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan, describing the timing of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as ‘significant’, said, “The Zangezur Corridor is important not only because it will connect Azerbaijan’s western region with Nakhchivan but also because it will strengthen the integration of Turkey with the Turkic world.”
Political Scientist Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (English) at Üsküdar Üniversitesi's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, evaluated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Prof. Dr. Arslan stated that as a result of the meeting between the two leaders, steps were taken to further enhance relations between the two countries. In this context, she reminded that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Iğdır-Nakhchivan Natural Gas Pipeline was held with the participation of the leaders of both countries, the two leaders also signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the Kars-Nakhchivan Railway Project, and they attended the opening of a military maintenance and repair factory in Nakhchivan.
Energy partnership projects have positive effects on Europe’s energy supply security
Prof. Dr. Arslan emphasized that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are in an exceptional position unparalleled in the world. She also underlined the positive effects of energy partnership projects carried out with Azerbaijan, such as the Trans-Caspian International East-West Middle Corridor and the Iğdır-Nakhchivan Natural Gas Pipeline Project, on Europe's energy supply security.
Prof. Dr. Arslan also explained that President Erdoğan, stating that ‘Azerbaijan had to conduct an anti-terror operation on its own sovereign territory’, congratulated Azerbaijan's victory and emphasized that Armenia should evaluate new opportunities for this new normalization, continuing as follows:
“Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also stated that relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan continue strongly and thanked Turkey for supporting Azerbaijan in its just cause. President Aliyev, while making statements about Nakhchivan, emphasized that Nakhchivan is an ancient land of Azerbaijan, but unfortunately, West Zangezur was separated from Azerbaijan by the Soviets in 1920, thus severing the geographical connection between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan.”
Turkey once again strongly demonstrated its support for Azerbaijan…
Political Scientist Prof. Dr. Arslan said the following about the timing of the visit:
“It is significant that the meeting between the two leaders took place exactly after Azerbaijan achieved complete victory as a result of the anti-terror operation launched against separatist Armenian terrorists in Karabakh and Armenian military units that were not withdrawn from the region despite the 2020 ceasefire agreement.
It is very important that Turkey once again strongly demonstrated its support for Azerbaijan as a result of this meeting. The Organization of Turkic States also expressed supportive statements for Azerbaijan's anti-terror operation in its declaration dated September 20, 2023.”
The Zangezur Corridor will strengthen integration with the Turkic world
Prof. Dr. Arslan, referring to the importance of the Zangezur Corridor, concluded her words as follows:
“The Zangezur Corridor, frequently mentioned today, is important not only because it will connect Azerbaijan's western region with Nakhchivan but also because it will strengthen the integration of Turkey with the Turkic world. Furthermore, if realized, the Zangezur Corridor has a position that will affect global geopolitics. As the importance of the Trans-Caspian International East-West Middle Corridor, extending from Turkey to China, increases, faster and easier transportation will be provided for trade between Europe and China. If the Turkic world effectively utilizes the economic opportunities provided by its geopolitical position, it will become a balancing factor between East and West.”