On November 8, a magnificent parade was held in Baku's Azadliq Square to mark the 5th anniversary of the glorious Victory achieved in the Patriotic War. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif also participated in the military parade.
Along with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the visiting heads of state also delivered speeches at the parade.
What messages did the Victory Parade convey to the world?
In a statement to Modern.az, **Arzu Naghiyev**, Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on Defense, Security, and Anti-Corruption, stated that the participation of Turkish and Pakistani leaders in the Victory Parade once again demonstrated that Azerbaijan is not alone:
"The Victory Parade was very magnificent. The participation of the leaders of friendly countries - Turkey and Pakistan - in the parade was of particular importance. This has both political and strategic meaning. It is not only about friendship and the symbol of mutual relations, but also about demonstrating a common stance aimed at peace and stability in the region. The messages conveyed in the speeches of the leaders of all three countries indicate the importance of our constant togetherness, and also of the steps to be taken as strategic partners against both our territorial integrity and other threats. They showed that we are in solidarity. This is also the presentation of a joint security concept of all three states. The participation of Turkish and Pakistani leaders in the parade once again showed that Azerbaijan is not alone. On the international stage, a state like Turkey, which has NATO's most combat-ready army, and Pakistan, which possesses nuclear weapons, are by our side. Both states consider Azerbaijan a partner, a strategically important friendly country. From political, military, and economic perspectives, all three states not only support each other on various international platforms but also once again demonstrated that they are the most serious strategic partners".
The committee chairman emphasized that Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan have shown the world what friendship is:
"The participation of both Turkish and Pakistani leaders, as well as their soldiers and officers, in this parade added a special color to our relations. The aerial display by Turkish F-16 Falcons is of great importance and is a crucial issue for regional stability and the security of energy and transport projects. We once again showed the world what friendship is and how problems arising from common interests can be resolved at an international level. Such events create conditions for further deepening our strategic partnership between our countries, organizing a joint defense industry, producing various licensed weapons, and creating certain opportunities in educational, economic, technological, and other directions. I would like to reiterate that these messages are extremely important and serve peace, development, and mutual trust in the region. We saw this once again in the speeches of Turkish President Mr. Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The speech of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev unequivocally demonstrated the importance of all three states hitting the same target".
