Turkiye and Azerbaijan leaders vow unity after tensions

Joint press conference statements

Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva greeted Erdogan at the airport with a guard of honour upon his arrival. Leaders convened for a combined news briefing in Fuzuli district, an area Baku reclaimed from Armenian troops six years back. Erdogan stated that their unity of hearts is an everlasting torch drawing strength from their shared past. Aliyev added that together Azerbaijan and Turkiye are even stronger across a vast geographical area.

Cause of recent diplomatic rift

Tensions flared in September when Baku revised school uniform regulations to prohibit clothing deemed incompatible with secular education. This move effectively barred Islamic headscarves in classrooms while Erdogan's government dismantled restrictions on hijabs in Turkiye. Presidential adviser Oktay Saral demanded that Azerbaijan reverse the restrictions before Erdogan subsequently dismissed him. Aliyev's ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan denounced these comments as interference in Azerbaijan's internal affairs.

Diplomatic fallout and summit attendance

Baku declared 31 Turkish nationals including an opposition lawmaker persona non grata over critical social media posts. Despite receiving a personal invite from Erdogan, Aliyev did not attend the Turkic leaders' summit held in Ankara on Oct 30. Instead he sent Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov to represent Azerbaijan at the gathering. The visit aims to overcome a public rift between these close neighbours.