ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan, the Turkish presidency stated on Sunday. The meeting’s focal point will revolve around the “latest developments” in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, as stated in the presidency’s official statement.
This summit comes on the heels of a swift Azerbaijani military offensive that resulted in the recapture of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Armenians. Turkish President Erdogan has been vocally supportive of Azerbaijan’s military endeavors throughout the past week.
Thursday witnessed the commencement of “reintegration” discussions between Azerbaijan and ethnic-Armenian rebels following their agreement to lay down arms in the face of a day-long military assault.
Turkey-Azerbaijan Eyes Land Corridor
Several experts speculate that Azerbaijan might now seek to capitalize on its advantageous position by launching operations in southern Armenia, with the aim of establishing territorial continuity between Nakhchivan and the mainland.
Turkey and Azerbaijan, longstanding allies, had previously expressed their intent in June to intensify efforts to establish a land corridor connecting Turkey to Azerbaijan’s primary territory through Nakhchivan and Armenia. This ambitious and intricate project remains a priority for both nations.
