Politicians and experts on the Shusha Declaration

Baku/16.06.21/Turan: Politicians and experts continue to comment on the Shusha declaration on allied relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The MP from the ruling “Yeni Azerbaijan” Party  (New Azerbaijan Party” Aydin Mirzazade noted that the document raised relations between the two countries to a higher level, covering issues of economic, strategic, military-technical cooperation, joint work of the Security Councils and the creation of the Zangezur corridor. "At the same time, there is a reference to the historic Treaty of Kars," Mirzazade said.

Turkey and Azerbaijan agreed to jointly counter threats to the territorial integrity of the two countries and restructure the armed forces according to uniform standards.

Security expert Ilham Ismayil drew attention to the fact that the parties had previously had an agreement on cooperation in the field of security, but the Shusha Declaration for the first time recorded a provision on the provision of mutual military assistance in the event of the intervention of third forces. “This is a very important agreement,” the expert noted.

As for the reaction of Russia, it should be satisfied that it will remain in the region for another 4.5 years, but then it will have to leave it. “In the future, all this will consolidate the dominant role of Turkey in the South Caucasus,” the analyst said.

The only way out for Armenia is to stop hostility and establish relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, he said.

Political scientist Shahin Jafarli, commenting on the text of the declaration, noted that the clauses on mutual military assistance were also in the previous agreements between Azerbaijan and Turkey. An innovation was the clause on holding joint meetings of the Security Councils of the two countries. “This means that the policy in the spheres of defense and security will be coordinated,” the expert noted.

The declaration does not contain a clause on military bases, but it is known that the Turkish military are in Azerbaijan, at the Ceasefire Control Center. If necessary, their number can be increased. This is exclusively the prerogative of Baku and Ankara, Jafarli noted.

The opening of the Turkish consulate in Shusha is also of historical importance and can be considered a kind of security guarantee. "In general, the Turkish-Azerbaijani cooperation is rising to a new level and relations close to confederal are being established," the analyst said.

In turn, a member of the Political Council of the REAL party Natig Jafarli drew attention to the fact that in March this year the parties signed 15 bilateral documents on increasing trade, exemption from double taxation, and the provision of customs privileges. “Yesterday's document confirmed the goal of the parties - to triple trade turnover, bringing it to 15 billion dollars in the next three years,” he said. These are very ambitious tasks, because now the trade turnover is about $ 4.5 billion.

“We mainly sell energy resources abroad. Turkey is far ahead of us in the field of light industry, equipment, household items. To increase the mutual trade turnover to 15 billion dollars, it is necessary to import goods from Turkey for 10 billion dollars annually. The abundance of Turkish goods in Azerbaijani markets will cause an outflow of foreign currency from Azerbaijan to Turkey. Natig Jafarli sees a way out of the situation in the creation of joint ventures, which would meet mutual interests. — 06D-