Erdogan visits Karabakh, signs pact with Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan and Turkey signed a declaration of alliance on Tuesday, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Shusha, a city in Karabakh, after the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Erdogan, the first foreign leader to visit Shusha after Azerbaijan regained control of the city last November, was accompanied by his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev. Seated in the same car, Aliyev and Erdogan traveled to Shusha from Fuzuli.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Aliyev described the signing of the declaration as a historic event which “guarantees our future cooperation.”

“A new era starts today,” said the Azerbaijani leader, adding that the declaration elevates the relations between the two countries to the highest level.

He said the declaration highlights key issues of cooperation between the two countries at the international level, in terms of political, economic and commercial relations, culture, education, sport, energy security, as well as the importance of the South Caucasus.

Aliyev said the declaration particularly focuses on cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey in the field of defense industry, and mutual military assistance.

“It also provides for the opening of a new transport line between the two countries which became possible after the second Karabakh war,” the Azerbaijani leader added.

Erdogan said Azerbaijan will get the opportunity to embark on the manufacture of defense industry products of Turkey.

The Turkish leader also revealed his country’s plans to open a consulate general in Shusha.

Erdogan arrived in Azerbaijan on Tuesday for a two- day official visit.