F. Rezzan ÜNALP

Azerbaijan has become a country that is attracting the attention of regional and Western powers with its geographical position and oil resources, which also has significant effects on Turkiye-Azerbaijan relationships. As one of the three states that emerged in the Caucasus - Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia - after the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, Azerbaijan has faced many problems both in the country and in the international arena after its independence. The tension and state of war with Armenia, especially the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, the effort to defend its country and maintain its independence against regional powers such as Iran and Russia, great difficulties and bottleneck caused by the transition to the new economic system, aggravated the conditions of the country that had just against its independence, and the unstable environment made the state face negative and dangerous security issues.

Turkey-Azerbaijan diplomatic relationships during Heydar Aliyev’s Presidency (1993-2003) are discussed in this article. Aliyev’s state administration and the policies he followed during this 10-year period, as well as the aspects of these policies that determined the course of Turkey-Azerbaijan relationships and affected the deepening of the established partnership, were also discussed. The role of the friendly relationships between Heydar Aliyev, who brought the relationships between the two countries to a strategic partnership level with the “One Nation-Two States” approach, and the then-President of the Republic of Turkey, Süleyman Demirel, in ensuring regional stability was also evaluated. In this context, it is pointed out in the article, which has been written based on the situation and evaluation method, that Heydar Aliyev was a strong, balanced statesman who took care of the national interests of his country, and the reasons why the relationships between the two countries have survived to the present day within the framework of friendship and a strong strategic partnership thanks to Aliyev and Demirel’s constructive decisions and sincere friendly relationships were emphasized. Since the 20th anniversary of his death was in 2023, it was aimed to remind once again of Heydar Aliyev, who was the most distinguished representative of the ancient friendship between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Keywords: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Heydar Aliyev, Süleyman Demirel, Diplomacy.