Erdogan Talks About His Recent Visit to Azerbaijan and Shushi

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke about his recent visit to Azerbaijan and Shushi during a press conference following the government meeting on June 21, as reported by ermenihaber.

He recounted traveling to Shushi via highway from Fizuli, observing the remnants of war along the way. He invited the OSCE Minsk Group, the West, and everyone else to see the "devastation carried out in Nagorno-Karabakh."

Discussing Shushi, Erdogan stated that "hundreds of historical monuments have been destroyed in the Azerbaijani cultural city of Shushi, allegedly to erase the Turkish imprint from the region." He expressed hope that the territories that fell under Azerbaijan's control would be restored shortly and that Azerbaijani refugees would return.

According to Erdogan, they are taking measures in line with the principle of "one nation, two states" regarding the restoration of Nagorno-Karabakh. "With the Shushi Declaration, we have opened a new chapter in our relations. Within the framework of that declaration, Turkey and Azerbaijan will sign numerous agreements in the near future to strengthen the legal basis of our brotherhood. We will decisively and rapidly implement all matters on our agenda, from the opening of our main consulate in Shushi to the activation of the 'Zangezur Corridor.' We plan to take concrete steps on these issues in the coming months," he stated.

The Turkish president once again emphasized that one of the greatest beneficiaries of establishing peace and stability in the region would be Armenia, should it be able to seize the opportunity before it.