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AzerNEWS Staff

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Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik has rejected claims of growing political tensions between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, warning that third countries and other external actors are attempting to create divisions between the two allied states.

Speaking on 7 October in response to questions about reports of a possible rift between Ankara and Baku, Çelik stressed that the relationship between Türkiye and Azerbaijan was fundamentally defined by brotherhood and could not be reduced to differences that may arise over individual political issues.

“There is no question of any political tension between Türkiye and Azerbaijan,” Çelik said, reaffirming the principle of “two states, one nation”. He acknowledged that the two countries could have different domestic and foreign policy agendas, but stressed that disagreements were handled through direct dialogue between the two sides.

According to Çelik, the existence of different positions on particular issues should not be interpreted as a rupture in bilateral relations.

“Each side may have a distinct domestic political agenda and different approaches to domestic and foreign policy,” he said, adding that when differences emerge, the two countries discuss them openly “as two fraternal countries” and continue working together.

The AK Party spokesperson placed particular emphasis on what he described as attempts by outside countries to come between Ankara and Baku.

“There are some countries trying to come between Türkiye and Azerbaijan. We will absolutely not allow this,” Çelik said.

He also drew attention to what he described as efforts inside Türkiye to fuel tensions by targeting Azerbaijan on social media. Çelik said that certain groups and circles seeking to portray themselves as aligned with the Turkish government or ruling party had no connection to either.

“We see that some groups and social media users inside Türkiye are mistakenly targeting Azerbaijan,” he said, stressing that such activity should not be confused with the position of the Turkish government or AK Party.

Çelik’s remarks came amid renewed speculation on social media and in some political commentary about the state of Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations. He rejected attempts to create an atmosphere suggesting that the two countries were experiencing a political dispute, saying Ankara would not allow such narratives to overshadow the strategic relationship between the two allies.

He further underlined the close relationship between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, describing their ties as a genuine brotherhood. Çelik said contacts between the two leaders continued at the highest level, while communication between Turkish and Azerbaijani state and political institutions also remained active.

The Turkish official also stressed that differences between Ankara and Baku, where they occur, should be addressed directly rather than exploited by outside actors.

“Political manipulation by third countries and centres” would not be allowed to undermine the relationship, Çelik said, reiterating that bilateral solidarity would continue despite differences in the assessment of individual issues.

His comments underline Ankara’s view that the Türkiye-Azerbaijan relationship has sufficient institutional and political depth to withstand disagreements and external pressure. Rather than allowing individual disputes to become a source of confrontation, Çelik argued that the two countries would continue to address such issues through direct communication.

“Two states, one nation” therefore remains, in Çelik’s assessment, more than a political slogan. He described brotherhood as the defining characteristic of relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan and said the two countries would continue their path with the same solidarity.

“We are two states, one nation. Our brotherhood is eternal,” Çelik said, adding that the relationship between Ankara and Baku could ultimately be described with one word: brotherhood.