BAKU - Turkish nationalist leader Devlet Bahçeli called on Azerbaijan and Turkey to prevent a rift in their relations after a public dispute over sovereignty and interference in domestic affairs.
Bahçeli, chairman of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, issued the appeal in a written statement on Oct. 14, according to Report.az and APA.
He said relations between Baku and Ankara should develop through common sense, mutual understanding and respect for the sovereignty and independence of Turkic states.
“Seeds of discord” must not be allowed to damage the countries’ fraternal relations and spiritual ties, Bahçeli said. He described the historical, cultural and social links between Azerbaijan and Turkey as deeper than current political disagreements.
The MHP is an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party. Bahçeli said the expected meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Erdoğan on the sidelines of an Organization of Turkic States summit would demonstrate the durability of the bilateral partnership.
Statement Follows Public Dispute
Bahçeli’s intervention followed criticism from Azerbaijan’s governing New Azerbaijan Party, or YAP, of comments by Oktay Saral, a chief adviser to Erdoğan, and some lawmakers from Turkey’s governing AK Party.
The dispute centered on Azerbaijan’s school-uniform rules and criticism of Baku’s relations with Israel. Saral had described as unacceptable reports that students wearing Islamic headscarves were denied entry to schools and urged Azerbaijan to reverse the policy.
YAP responded on Oct. 13 by calling the comments irresponsible and warning Turkish politicians against interfering in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs. The party said the principle of “one nation, two states” did not cancel the sovereignty and independence of either country.
Azerbaijan’s uniform rules do not explicitly mention the hijab but prohibit clothing that departs from the official uniform or conflicts with the secular character of state education, Reuters reported.
Bahçeli said attempts to harm Azerbaijan-Turkey ties should be met with restraint and collective judgment, adding that cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States should be based on equality, common interests and mutual respect.