BAKU, Azerbaijan - Close ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey do not give either country the right to demand changes to the other’s domestic decisions or independent foreign policy, Azerbaijani analyst Elmira Talybzade said.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Europe Online, Talybzade said recent friction has been amplified by media commentary and emotional accusations that make the dispute appear larger than it is at the diplomatic level, according to Vesti Baku.
She acknowledged real disagreements but said they should be assessed through concrete interests and government decisions rather than accusations of disloyalty or “historic betrayal.” Defense cooperation, energy, trade, investment and transport projects give the relationship a foundation much deeper than any newspaper article or expert comment, she said.
School Rules and Sovereignty
Talybzade identified reactions from some Turkish figures to Azerbaijan’s school-clothing rules as one of the most sensitive disputes. She specifically cited Oktay Saral, a chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who publicly called on Baku to reverse its approach.
Azerbaijan’s response, she said, established a basic boundary: the “one nation, two states” formula does not cancel either country’s sovereignty. Azerbaijan has its own Constitution and secular system of government, and allied relations do not authorize demands that Baku change its domestic education policy, she said.
The same principle applies to foreign policy, Talybzade said. An alliance with Turkey does not require Azerbaijan to agree automatically with every decision made in Ankara.
Israel and the War in Gaza
Talybzade said Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel are another point of disagreement as Turkey takes a hard line over the war in Gaza. Differences between Baku and Ankara do not give Turkish commentators or media figures grounds to demand that Azerbaijan abandon its own position, she said.
Baku determines its international relationships according to national interests, she said, adding that its political and strategic partnership with Ankara does not make Azerbaijani diplomacy an extension of Turkey’s.
Turkey-Armenia Border and the Peace Process
Talybzade also addressed possible normalization between Turkey and Armenia. She said opening their border should be linked to progress in the Azerbaijan-Armenia settlement and the conclusion of a peace treaty.
Statements from Yerevan expressing hope that the border will open, along with commentary in Turkey, do not by themselves show that Ankara’s official policy has changed, she said. Trade and tourism between Turkey and Armenia already operate indirectly through Georgia, but a direct border opening would carry substantial political as well as economic significance.
Talybzade said the most likely near-term outcome of the dispute is further escalation in the information space without a serious rupture between the two governments.
Expert Contacts With Armenia Slow
Turning to Azerbaijan-Armenia dialogue, Talybzade said expert-level contacts have slowed. She said four expert meetings had taken place before the current pause and that a video-link format previously connected representatives of the two countries.
She attributed the slowdown to negative narratives spread by some Armenian groups, including actors she linked to the opposition and overseas diaspora organizations. Even so, she said contacts should continue because Armenia’s prospects for a peace treaty, open borders and reduced economic and political isolation depend on dialogue.
Criticism of European Double Standards
Talybzade also criticized European institutions’ approach to Azerbaijan. Referring to protests and police actions in France, she said standards on civil rights should apply equally inside European Union countries.
She distinguished between the state’s responsibility to prevent violence, arson and attacks on police officers and its obligation to protect peaceful protest. Social tensions cannot be resolved only through force, she said, arguing that European politicians who criticize Baku should apply the same scrutiny to developments in their own countries.