Security issue for Turkey

Turkey should have done it sooner or later just like to what extent and in what forms the Western countries protect themselves. And while making these changes, no exception is allowed for any country, as Turkey's security has rightly come to the fore.

One of the issues directly related to Turkey's concept of state security is the change in the terms of residence permits issued to foreigners, the biggest blow of which has begun to hit Azerbaijani citizens. No, it is not about imposing any restrictions on Azerbaijani citizens obtaining a residence permit, it is about the lack of documents confirming the citizenship of people who have lived in Istanbul since the early 1990s and live compactly in specific areas, most of whom were born in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Although Turkey has been appealing to Azerbaijan through various channels for an official solution to this issue for years, the problem has not been resolved. In fact, Turkey offers a very simple option: Put aside the others, Azerbaijan should issue ID cards and passports to these people who have established their colonies in certain parts of Istanbul and live compactly, that is, let Turkey see the documents in their hands, and it will solve the problem itself.

An instruction from the Turkish Interior Ministry to the Istanbul governor's office four years ago called for their mass deportation; however, the Istanbul governor's office did not comply with the deportation request, given both its relations with Azerbaijan and the fate of those people. However, the problems of official documents and residence permits of those citizens of Azerbaijan were not off the agenda. Even if Turkey wanted to give them official permission, it could not. Because most of them do not have any identity documents.

According to the new law, which came into force in early 2020, when the residence permit issued to foreigners as a tourist was revoked, it became difficult for citizens with an official document to obtain a residence permit. In the current situation, it would be more appropriate to keep on the agenda the situation of Nakhchivan-born citizens who have lived in Istanbul since the early 1990s and created their own ghettos without touching on this issue.

According to the Migration Service, when the problem came up again about a year ago, about 20,000 citizens were required to come to the office to find a solution, but only 80 of them applied.

In fact, it is not difficult to resolve this issue: If citizens who have been in Turkey for years and whose ID cards and passports have expired are issued passports through the Azerbaijani Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul, the Turkish state will take the necessary steps to keep them. But instead of solving the case in a simple way, do you know who is sent to the Migration Office by Baku? Deputy Chairman of the Diaspora Committee. What has the Diaspora Committee got to do with solving the problems of these people who are facing the threat of deportation and whose first problem is getting a passport?

A few years ago, the Republic of Turkey granted citizenship to people of Akhiskha Turkic origin with Azerbaijani passports, and the staff of the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul was sent to Bursa for a few days to help speed up the process.

Well, let's say that diplomatic and consular missions in Turkey do not consider the issuance of ID cards and passports to these people. So, Baku should send government officials directly responsible for this area to Istanbul, and the issue should be resolved. Because in the current situation in Turkey, the conclusion is that the Azerbaijani state is indifferent to the fate of these citizens, most of whom were born in Nakhchivan. Such a situation is met with surprise in Turkey.

Baku must take immediate steps to solve this problem. Otherwise, the surprise of the relevant Turkish institutions will continue to grow.