By AZE.US
Turkish officials whose statements helped trigger the latest tensions with Azerbaijan should face consequences to prevent a repeat of the dispute, Azerbaijani political analyst Farhad Mammadov said.
Speaking on the “News From the Caucasus” program, Mammadov said the key question after the recent telephone conversation between the two countries’ presidents is how Turkish authorities will respond to the people whose actions contributed to the strain.
“Every such crisis must have consequences so that it does not repeat itself,” Mammadov said, warning that an absence of accountability would increase the likelihood of another confrontation.
He said Turkey’s political establishment remains interested in preserving close relations with Azerbaijan, but argued that this does not eliminate the need to assess the conduct of individual officials.
Different Standards for Party Figures and Officials
Mammadov said statements by party activists should be distinguished from remarks by people exercising government authority. Azerbaijani officials and the public, he said, are entitled to expect a higher standard of responsibility from the latter.
He also noted that some officials did not soften or clarify their positions after Baku’s initial response. Azerbaijan should therefore maintain a principled position, he said.
The dispute followed criticism in Turkey of Azerbaijan’s school-uniform rules and broader arguments over Baku’s relations with Israel and Ankara’s contacts with Armenia. The controversy prompted responses from Azerbaijani lawmakers and political figures, turning what began as a public debate into a bilateral political issue.
Aliyev’s Summit Attendance Remains Unclear
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on October 21. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues, according to official accounts.
Erdoğan also invited Aliyev to the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara. The published statements did not say whether Aliyev had accepted the invitation.
Mammadov said Aliyev’s participation would carry significance for Turkish political and civic groups that supported Azerbaijan during the dispute. Many of those groups favor stronger cooperation among Turkic states, he said.
If the visit takes place, Mammadov said, it could signal continued Azerbaijani support for that cooperation. He described Azerbaijan as one of the principal drivers of the Organization of Turkic States.
The analyst also pointed to misinformation surrounding the disagreements. Azerbaijani and Turkish institutions have responded to false claims, he said, but information work alone cannot substitute for accountability by those who helped cause the crisis.
Source: Vesti Baku, based on Mammadov’s “News From the Caucasus” interview. The October 21 call and Ankara summit invitation were confirmed by the Turkish presidency.