I consider myself one of the journalists who knows Turkey best. Thanks to my journalist friends, I have visited almost all regions, cities, and villages of Turkey. I have seen Ankara, the streets of Istanbul, the shores of Izmir, and the roads of Antalya. I have known Turkey not only by its geography but also by its people.
I have long understood a truth: Turkey is not as simple a country as we think. Turkey is a large country where various political views, ideological currents, and different interests come together. It is a place where the interests of the world's great powers clash and intersect like lightning. Here, there are forces that genuinely love Azerbaijan, those who approach Azerbaijan with a certain distance, and even forces that are against Turkey itself.
I remember the years 2008–2009... We organized photo exhibitions dedicated to the Khojaly genocide in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, and other regions. We tried to convey Azerbaijan's pain to Turkey. I must absolutely note that behind those events was the effort of our Turkish friends. We had Turkish colleagues who covered the material expenses, searched for venues, prepared posters, brought journalists to the event, and published the truths of Khojaly in their newspapers, televisions, and websites. Among them is our journalist friend Mehmet Ali Dim, who has openly demonstrated his position on the Azerbaijan issue for years.
I also recall the incident in 2008 when photos were stolen late at night at the Khojaly photo exhibition we organized in Antalya. The matter was investigated, and it was revealed that Armenian sympathizers were behind the incident.
I still frequently talk to many journalist friends who work in various Turkish media organizations. They are concerned about what has been happening on social media recently. "This is not right," they say, "You cannot come between two brothers." The love for Azerbaijan in Turkey is much greater than what a social media campaign can show. Azerbaijan also views Turkey in the same way. We don't need to explain the love for Turkey here separately. This love is part of daily life.
Now let's get to the main point. It is an axiom that there are various political circles in the region that are concerned about the Azerbaijan-Turkey proximity. The South Caucasus is an important arena for geopolitical competition. Energy, transport, security, and new economic routes increase the importance of this geography. In such an environment, the information sphere also becomes part of geopolitical competition. They don't completely fabricate lies. They take a part of the truth and give it a different meaning. This is the most dangerous aspect of modern information warfare. This is one of the classic mechanisms of information manipulation. The point is that Azerbaijan-Turkey relations are a particularly sensitive topic against such manipulations. The love between the two peoples is great. Like everything great, this relationship also has rivals.
Turkish journalist friends, you have heard Azerbaijan's rightful voice in the most difficult days. You have written about Khojaly, Karabakh, and the occupation. The attention shown by a large part of the Turkish media to Azerbaijan during Azerbaijan's 44-day war is in our memory.
Now we ask only one thing from you: when talking about Azerbaijan, do not allow anyone to take the truth out of context. Do not allow Azerbaijan's foreign policy, Azerbaijan-Turkey relations, and Azerbaijan's relations with other states to be evaluated by the dictates of individual social media manipulations. It is easy to take an image and draw a big political conclusion. What is difficult is to investigate the diplomatic, political, and historical context behind that image. The power of journalism lies in showing the truth as a whole.
I also have a word for Turkish officials: in interstate relations, information security is part of national security. Therefore, if there is concrete illegal activity aimed at deliberately disrupting the relations between the two countries, its legal assessment must be given by the relevant state institutions. Both Turkey and Azerbaijan are legal states. Expressing an opinion about Azerbaijan-Turkey relations is one thing, but systematic and illegal activity aimed at creating discord between the two peoples is a completely different matter. This distinction must be preserved.
One of the political and legal foundations of Azerbaijan-Turkey relations is the Shusha Declaration signed on June 15, 2021. This document elevated the strategic partnership between the two countries to a higher level. As much as the Shusha Declaration is a diplomatic document, it is also the legal expression of a political will formed over the years. In it, the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests, and mutual support come to the forefront in Azerbaijan and Turkey relations. This relationship cannot be built or destroyed by a single social media post. Because the roots of this relationship are deeper than politics.
The Azerbaijan-Turkey unity means the deepening of political and economic ties in the Turkic world and the strengthening of regional transport links. It means energy security and stability in the South Caucasus. It means the increasing political weight of the Organization of Turkic States and the mutual trust between the two peoples.
Therefore, every information wave aimed at disrupting Azerbaijan-Turkey relations should be viewed not only as a relationship between two countries but also from the perspective of the future of the Turkic world. We must explain one thing to the opportunists. We must explain that Azerbaijan will not give up on Turkey, and Turkey will not give up on Azerbaijan. Our relations have roots deep enough not to depend on the direction of political winds. What unites us is the memory of the Martyrs, Shusha, Çanakkale, Khojaly, and the future.
As a journalist, I believe that the greatest way to protect Turkey-Azerbaijan brotherhood is not to blindly trust each other, but to protect the truth about each other. Truth is the strongest shield of brotherhood. Let's not give opportunists an opportunity, and let's not give manipulation a platform. The path between the two peoples does not pass through social media. It passes through history.
And the history of Azerbaijan and Turkey is not over yet.
Turkey will not give up on Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan will not give up on Turkey.
