Türkiye, Azerbaijan leaders vow unity, bolster ties

SHUSHA: Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev vowed that their countries' alliance would remain solid, in a show of unity aimed at overcoming a public rift between the close neighbours. A guard of honour lined up at the airport, where Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva welcomed Erdogan and his wife Emine. "With the permission of Almighty, our unity will endure forever," Erdogan told a joint press conference with Aliyev. "This unity of hearts, which we describe with the motto 'One Nation, Two States,' is an everlasting torch that draws strength from our shared past and illuminates our future."

Aliyev said the alliance — "an important factor across a vast geographical area" — remained unshaken. "Together, Azerbaijan and Türkiye are even stronger," he said, adding that Erdogan's visit "shows the whole world our unity". "I am confident that this unity will last forever." November 8 marks Azerbaijan's capture of the city of Shusha in Karabakh during its war with Armenia, a victory achieved with Turkish backing. The Turkic-speaking allies describe their relationship as "one nation, two states" and, despite the friction, remain closely bound by military and energy ties. — AFP