Historian Pasha Hasanli has rejected claims that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk “betrayed Azerbaijan,” saying Turkey’s role in securing Nakhchivan’s status contradicts that accusation.
Hasanli made the comments in an interview with Prime TV Azerbaijan. He said allegations of Turkish betrayal are used to discredit the alliance between Baku and Ankara and should be tested against specific historical decisions.
He pointed first to the Treaty of Moscow, signed March 16, 1921, between Soviet Russia and the government of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly. Article III established an autonomous Nakhchivan under the protection of Azerbaijan, on the condition that Azerbaijan would not transfer that protection to a third state.
The Treaty of Kars, signed Oct. 13, 1921, confirmed the arrangement. Under Article V, Turkey, Soviet Azerbaijan and Soviet Armenia agreed that Nakhchivan would remain an autonomous territory under Azerbaijan’s protection.
Hasanli attributed Nakhchivan’s continued place within Azerbaijan to Ankara’s determined position in those negotiations. He said that outcome should be weighed against arguments that Atatürk’s government sacrificed Azerbaijani interests.
Why the Historical Dispute Matters Now
Hasanli said the argument is not only about the past. In his assessment, weakening relations with Turkey would deprive Azerbaijan of an important source of support and make the country more vulnerable to outside pressure.
He also cited Ankara’s political backing during the 2020 war, arguing that Turkey’s role at that time cannot be ignored when the bilateral relationship is assessed.
Hasanli said criticism of the Turkish government’s domestic policies should not obscure decisions that strengthened Azerbaijan’s position. He argued that efforts to turn ideological disagreements into a broader rejection of the Baku-Ankara partnership would work against Azerbaijan’s interests.
Source: Vesti Baku