Turkish ambassador says ties with Azerbaijan go beyond strategic partnership

Türkiye’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Birol Akgün has described relations between the two countries as deeper than a conventional strategic partnership, highlighting their shared history, culture and values.

Speaking at the opening of an exhibition in Baku dedicated to the Meskhetian Turks, Akgün said the relationship between Türkiye and Azerbaijan could not be defined solely by interstate cooperation, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

“We are united by a shared history, religion, culture, literature, music and common values,” Akgün said, adding that Türkiye regarded the historical suffering of the Meskhetian Turks as “our shared pain”.

He said the decision to hold the exhibition in Baku after its presentation in Istanbul was not accidental, given the depth of ties between the two countries.

Akgün also said Türkiye and Azerbaijan were working closely to preserve their common cultural heritage and pass it on to future generations.

The exhibition will continue in Ankara on November 14 before being presented in other countries in 2027, he said.

The ambassador described Baku’s hosting of the exhibition as a sign of the two countries’ commitment to preserving the shared memory of the Turkic world.