Official: Azerbaijan considered Türkiye’s “red line” in Armenia relations

Azerbaijan remains Türkiye’s “red line” in its relations with Armenia, according to Mustafa Destici, chairman of Türkiye’s Great Unity Party, during a briefing in Baku.

Destici stressed that normalisation of ties between Türkiye and Armenia can only be considered once Yerevan has fully met its obligations to Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports per local media. 

He highlighted the strategic significance of the Zangezur Corridor, noting that the lack of direct land connectivity between Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave and the country’s main territory disrupts ties within the broader Turkic world. Destici argued that opening the corridor is crucial for regional integration and could also offer economic and strategic benefits for Armenia.

Destici further pointed out that the Zangezur Corridor attracts interest from major international actors, including the United States, China, and Iran.

Furthermore, he noted that Azerbaijan continues to demonstrate significant progress in defence, economic development, and international relations. He emphasised that Türkiye takes pride in the successes of its “brotherly neighbour" and underscored the deep historical roots of Turkish-Azerbaijani relations.

Speaking about the upcoming Victory Day celebrations on November 8, Destici said that Türkiye’s support for Azerbaijan during the war was a reflection of their ties and would continue in the future. He also stressed the need to develop a free trade agreement between the two countries and highlighted the importance of further increasing bilateral trade volumes.

On regional cooperation, Destici expressed hope that Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan would soon join the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA), underlining the broader goal of strengthening Turkic unity in the region.

By Sabina Mammadli