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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that his country stands ready to mediate between Türkiye and Israel if requested, drawing on Azerbaijan's experience in transitioning from conflict to peace following decades of war.
"At the moment, relations between Türkiye and Israel are more tense than ever. Therefore, if we are asked to step in, we will do it. If not, we will try to use less public diplomatic efforts to help find common ground," Aliyev said in an interview on Wednesday.
Aliyev noted Azerbaijan's appreciated role in earlier Türkiye-Israel normalization efforts.
"During the first stage of normalization between Türkiye and Israel, Azerbaijan's role was appreciated by both countries. You know, there was a visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Türkiye, and we were happy that the two countries were finding common ground," he said.
The Azerbaijani president emphasized how the prolonged conflict shaped Azerbaijan's diplomatic approach.
"We are trying to be helpful when we see that there's a chance for normalization," Aliyev said, adding, "We've been at war, in different forms of war, for more than 30 years. So it makes you totally preoccupied with that."
"For me, as President, for 17 years since I assumed office, until we liberated Karabakh, that issue was number one, number two, and number ten. I was totally preoccupied day and night," he added.
Aliyev stressed that the conflict's costs drive Azerbaijan's mediation efforts by stating, "So it, of course, distracted not only me but the whole team from many other things which could have been done faster and more efficiently. So any potential threat, any even hypothetical threat of physical confrontation, is harmful for people, for countries, for the economy, for their credit rating, for everything."
The president outlined Azerbaijan's qualifications for mediation based on diverse experiences.
"We are trying to provide support based on our experience, because we have the experience of being occupied. We have the experience of being a victorious country. We have the experience of being at war, and now we have the experience of how to reach peace. We know how to do it," Aliyev said.
"Also our diversified foreign policy approach allows Azerbaijan to be in the middle of events, because not many countries today can talk in a very sincere way to those who are now in difficult relations. We are ready to do it. We hope it will work. But of course, we don't want to impose ourselves on anyone. We just do what is necessary when we are asked," he added.
Aliyev later highlighted the 2021 military and political alliance with Türkiye by stating, "Our close relations with Türkiye are now based on Alliance Declaration, which we signed with President Erdogan in Shusha in 2021, which makes us military allies and political allies. From legal point of view, it's important factor, not only for both countries, but for the whole Turkish world."
"Last year, we signed the alliance agreement with Uzbekistan and also with other members of Organization of Turkic States. We have strategic partnership agreements or declaration. It's a big potential," he added.
Aliyev described ambitious plans for the Organization of Turkic States as a "global actor", saying, "The Organization of Turkic States has great potential. Azerbaijan was always straightforward in strengthening this institution. It started as a kind of group of countries, as a consultative group, as a council, but then it transformed. It has a great potential."
Azerbaijani president emphasized the Turkic states' geographical and military advantages, noting, "We have broad geography. Türkiye is leading military force on the global scale. In NATO, its second army after United States. Azerbaijani army also demonstrated itself on the battlefield, not on parades."
"So and connectivity. When we talk about today, about corridors, you cannot avoid us. You cannot; you should use us, our territories, our facilities," he added.
Aliyev also outlined factors that make the Turkic organization unique and powerful: "We are united by our roots, which makes this organization unique. Because if you look at other international organizations, not all — or perhaps only some — are united by a common ethnic group. Yeah, we are different peoples, but we have all common… our roots, coming from the Turkic ethnicity."
"We have growing population, which is also important factor for every country. When it is supported by economic development, it is advantage. Sometimes it's disadvantaged, when countries are poor, but our countries are not poor. We have natural resources, not in every country, but in many," he added.
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