The key facts

  • Erdogan said no one will be able to sow discord between Turkey and Azerbaijan
  • The statement came amid a dispute over school uniforms, protests, and an entry ban on 31 Turkish citizens
  • On October 21, Azerbaijan banned entry, including to Yeni Refah party leader Fatih Erbakan

Erdogan's statement

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, returning from Azerbaijan, told journalists aboard the plane that Turkey and Azerbaijan are “two fraternal states that share joy and sorrow together,” and that “no one will be able to smear our warm relations, solidarity and brotherhood.” According to him, he and “brother Ilham Aliyev” filled “the cold that arose between us” with embraces, and those trying to sow discord between the two countries are “wasting their efforts in vain” and fail to take into account the mutual love of the peoples, deep historical ties and unbending will. This is reported by Kun.uz citing the president's statement.

What preceded the cooling

Erdogan emphasized that relations between the two countries go far beyond current political disputes and social media campaigns and rest on full solidarity, a shared destiny and fraternal ties. The statement came after a noticeable escalation in bilateral relations, the details of which are given by Kun.uz. The trigger was a new school uniform policy introduced in Azerbaijan in September: girls dressed contrary to the rules were no longer allowed into classes. At the UN General Assembly, Erdogan, without naming the country, condemned such bans, and Baku took this as a jab at itself.

Escalation in October

Then, according to the outlet, the situation escalated step by step. On October 2, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan does not need anyone's tutelage or interference in its internal affairs. On October 12, Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry reported 37 people detained at protests against the new rules; the same day, Erdogan's chief adviser Yoktay Saral openly condemned the events in Azerbaijan, and the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party called his words populist and irresponsible. On October 21, Azerbaijan banned entry to 31 Turkish citizens, among them Yeni Refah party leader Fatih Erbakan. Against this backdrop, Erdogan's statement about the “filled-in cold” marks an attempt by the parties to de-escalate, but no specific agreements are reported in the publications.