08.11.2026 15:31
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Shusha, where he was on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of the Karabakh Victory. Erdoğan said that those who want to weaken the brotherhood between the two countries will never achieve their goals. Erdoğan also announced that they will inaugurate the 40-classroom school, whose construction has begun in Aghdam, together with Aliyev next year.
On the occasion of Victory Day, President Erdoğan, who is in Azerbaijan, spoke at a joint press conference with Aliyev in Shusha. Underlining the alliance between the two countries, Erdoğan emphasized permanent peace in the South Caucasus.
“KARABAKH VICTORY IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THE ENTIRE TURKIC GEOGRAPHY”
Speaking after Aliyev, Erdoğan said:
“I am fortunate to be with you on the sixth anniversary of the Karabakh Victory. At the very beginning of my words, I commemorate with gratitude and respect all our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Karabakh. I offer my thanks to our veterans and pray to Almighty God for health, well-being, and a blessed life for them. Six years ago, the people of Azerbaijan, united under the resolute leadership of my brother Ilham, restored Karabakh to freedom with great heroism. This glorious victory remains the finest manifestation of Azerbaijan’s just cause and a source of pride for the entire Turkic geography.”
“ONE NATION, TWO STATES”
“As you all know, relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan have reached their current advanced level by passing through various tests of history. This unity of hearts, which we describe with the motto ‘One nation, two states,’ is an unextinguishable torch that illuminates our tomorrows with the strength it draws from our shared past. Our brotherhood goes far beyond a common language, history, and culture. That is why we regard Baku’s joy as Ankara’s joy and Shusha’s pride as the pride of our entire nation.”
“OUR UNITY WILL ALWAYS ENDURE”
“Those who wish to weaken this brotherhood, which we reinforced with an alliance bond through the declaration we signed in Shusha on June 15, 2021, will never achieve their aims, yesterday, today, or tomorrow. By the permission of Almighty God, our togetherness will always endure. We are also working with all our strength to make this vision prevail in the Turkic world. The advanced level our Organization of Turkic States has reached today is the most concrete result of our common will and efforts. On this occasion, I thank Azerbaijan for its efforts for the unity and solidarity of the Turkic world during its chairmanship. God willing, during our chairmanship we too will strive for the organization to attain a more effective and more institutional structure.”
“CROWNING THE VICTORY WITH PERMANENT PEACE AND STABILITY”
“Azerbaijan’s liberation of its own lands from occupation through the 44-day Homeland War opened the door to a new era in the South Caucasus. The task before us today is to crown the victory won on the battlefield with permanent peace and stability. Just as we support Azerbaijan’s just struggle, we also support its sincere efforts to establish permanent peace in our region. We follow with great appreciation Azerbaijan’s efforts for the reconstruction of Karabakh and the restoration of the region to its former vitality. Every hearth lit again in Karabakh, every structure raised, and every restored historical heritage show the Azerbaijani people’s faith in the future. God willing, we will continue to share our experience on this path and contribute to reconstruction and development efforts.”
40-CLASSROOM SCHOOL IN AGHDAM
Erdoğan provided the following information about projects implemented in Karabakh with Türkiye’s contribution:
“Most recently, we experienced the pride of bringing the Türkiye-Azerbaijan International Forestry Training Center and Nursery Facility to Jabrayil. Established with the contributions of our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, this facility has become a new symbol of Türkiye-Azerbaijan cooperation. In addition, construction has begun on our 40-classroom school, with a size of 14,500 square meters, in Aghdam. God willing, next year I will hold its opening ceremony together with my brother Ilham.”
“WE PASSED THROUGH 7 SEPARATE TUNNELS ON THE WAY TO SHUSHA”
“My dear brothers, as I conclude my words, we passed through 7 separate tunnels, especially during our journey here today. These 7 tunnels demonstrate how successful infrastructure construction in the region has been. And we are fortunate to see how far we have come on the way to Shusha. I believe that on another visit, Shusha will be very different. Fuzuli will be different too. Because there is a leader and a team who believe in this work and have put their hearts into it. And this leader and this team continue on their way with the same faith and the same determination.”
“WE WILL CONTINUE TO REGARD YOUR SORROW AS OUR SORROW AND YOUR JOY AS OUR JOY”
“Once again, I commemorate with mercy our dear martyrs who inscribed the Karabakh victory in our history with their lives and blood. I offer my thanks to our heroic veterans. I once again wholeheartedly congratulate my Azerbaijani brothers on this glorious victory. As Türkiye and the Turkish nation, we will, God willing, continue to always stand by you and to regard your sorrow as our sorrow and your joy as our joy.”
NOVEMBER 9 STATE FLAG DAY MESSAGE
Concluding his speech with lines by Azerbaijani poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade describing the unity of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, Erdoğan continued as follows:
“I pray that the Lord grants that our glorious red flag with the crescent and star and the glorious flag of Azerbaijan wave side by side in the skies forever. I celebrate your November 9 State Flag Day with my most heartfelt feelings and send my greetings and affection from here to the brotherly Azerbaijani people. I thank my brother Ilham once again for his warm hospitality.”