Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Economic relations and implementation of joint projects between Azerbaijan and Turkey were top on the agenda of talks during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to Turkey.

The signing of new agreements between Baku and Ankara at the fourth meeting of Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council have further contributed to the strengthening of high-level ties between the two countries.

The strategic role of the two countries have significantly increased with the implementation of joint energy projects, such as the project for construction of Trans Anatolian gas pipeline that is considered as the core of the Southern Gas Corridor.

During a joint press conference with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on January 15, President Aliyev said the Southern Gas Corridor project’s implementation, will further deepen cooperation in the energy sphere and lay the foundation of a multilateral cooperation between two sides.

The Southern Gas Corridor, launched in Baku last September, has turned into a very big project in the world brining international community’s attention to this part of the world.

President Aliyev said Southern Gas Corridor and the development of Shah Deniz gas condensate field are currently the largest infrastructure projects that will attract a total of $45 billion investment.

One of the important projects between the two countries is Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, which will be commissioned in 2015.

Noting that TANAP, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and other projects have strategic importance, the sides said these large-scale projects will be implemented in time.

The two countries that enjoy excellent cooperation in various fields including economy, voiced commitment to increase the trade turnover to $15 billion till 2023, which now stands at $ 5 billion.

President Aliyev noted that the mutual investments of the two countries have reached billions of dollars in recent years, adding that the volume of Azerbaijani investments in Turkey will reach $20 billion until 2020.

He further noted that Turkish companies are successfully operating in Azerbaijan implementing joint projects worth $10 billion.

The two brotherly countries that enjoy long historic relations also focus on expansion of the cooperation in the defense sphere.

“We have purchased many weapons and ammunition from Turkey. Meanwhile, today, exchange of views was made on the joint manufacturing of defense industry products in Azerbaijan,” President Aliyev said.

Noting that Turkey is a center of power on a global scale, President Aliyev said the two countries have great plans for deepening cooperation in the defense sphere.

The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises were held for several times leading to improvement of coordination between military forces of these two countries. Baku and Ankara said from now on, joint military exercises will be held regularly.

Turkey and Azerbaijan, as closely related countries, are supporting each other over the various issues on the global scale. This unity was once again confirmed with Turkey’s invitation to Azerbaijan to the G20 summit.

The two countries will also mark the 100th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Canakkale on April 24 that is another sign of strong unity between them.

President Aliyev said choosing of this date was a very wise step, expressing confidence that peoples of two countries will appreciate this deservedly.

It should be noted that another country, with which Turkey has closed borders, Armenia, intends to mark the 100th anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide on April 24.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey’s predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, allegedly carried out “genocide” against the Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Turkey in turn has always denied “the genocide” took place. While strengthening the efforts to promote the so-called genocide in the world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments of some countries.

Although Turkey has repeatedly proposed to create an independent commission to investigate the events of 1915, however, Armenia continues to reject the proposal.

--

Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz