SHUSHA, Azerbaijan — President Ilham Aliyev warmly greeted the contributors of the casual summit of the Group of Turkic States, emphasizing the importance of the gathering within the historic metropolis of Shusha. “I greet you all from the underside of my coronary heart,” Aliyev mentioned. “Welcome to Azerbaijan, to Karabakh.”
The summit, themed “Constructing a Sustainable Future via Transport Hyperlinks and Combating Local weather Change,” highlighted Azerbaijan’s dedication to fostering nearer ties inside the Turkic world. Aliyev expressed gratitude for the assist of his initiative to carry this annual casual summit and for the attendees’ acceptance of the invitation to Shusha.
“Azerbaijan has all the time strived for the shut unification of the Turkic world, the expansion of its political, financial, and army energy, and its transformation into a middle of energy within the international enviornment,” Aliyev said. He emphasised that the Group of Turkic States ought to turn into a world energy hub, citing the area’s in depth geographical space, optimistic demographic dynamics, army potential, wealthy pure sources, and fashionable infrastructure.
The selection of Shusha for the summit held symbolic significance, following Azerbaijan’s restoration of its territorial integrity. Aliyev recounted the town’s historical past, from its occupation by Armenia in 1992 to its liberation in 2020 through the 44-day Patriotic Struggle. “The occupation of Shusha was an excellent tragedy for the Azerbaijani folks,” he mentioned. “The Azerbaijani military liberated greater than 300 cities and villages, culminating in Shusha’s liberation on November 8, 2020.”
Aliyev highlighted Shusha’s cultural significance, noting its designation because the cultural capital of Azerbaijan in 2021 and its recognition because the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2023 and the Islamic world in 2024. The summit included the signing of the Karabakh Declaration, marking one other step in Azerbaijan’s shut ties with Turkey and different Turkic states.
Aliyev expressed appreciation for the assist from Turkic states, highlighting visits by the Presidents of Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to the liberated lands. He additionally introduced Azerbaijan’s monetary contribution to the Group of Turkic States’ secretariat to reinforce its price range and construction.
The enlargement of the East-West transport hall was underscored as a precedence, with the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway’s capability elevated and new ships below development to deal with rising cargo visitors. Aliyev pointed to the upcoming opening of Azerbaijan’s ninth worldwide airport in Lachin and plans to develop the Alat Worldwide Industrial Port.
He additionally talked about the strategic partnership in power, together with renewable power cooperation, and the Digital Silk Highway mission, geared toward establishing a fiber-optic route between Europe and Asia.
Trying forward, Aliyev invited the summit contributors to the COP29 convention in Baku, emphasizing Azerbaijan’s dedication to strengthening international solidarity and consensus. He expressed confidence that the choices made on the summit would bolster the Turkic world’s unity and improve the Group of Turkic States’ worldwide standing.
“We cowl a big geographical space,” Aliyev concluded. “Our wealthy and historical historical past, our tradition, and our dedication to conventional values are our nice wealth. The twenty first century ought to turn into the century of growth of the Turkic world.”
