Shusha Declaration: The Pinnacle Of Azerbaijan’s Diplomacy – OpEd

On June 15, 2021, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H. E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Turkey H. E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the “Shusha Declaration on allied relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkey”.

The Shusha Declaration is an extremely valuable instrument for the preservation of regional security and strengthening of economic growth and infrastructure development in Southeast Europe and the Caucasus.  The Republic of Turkey, guided by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been a principal contributor in the recent geostrategic maneuvers and developments in the Southern Caucasus, and above all Ankara is Europe’s main guarantor of peace and stability in the Intermarium region extending towards the Caspian Sea.   In the History of Foreign Policy of Azerbaijan, the Shusha Declaration will be a cornerstone in the country’s dynamic diplomacy and effective international engagement in the bilateral and multilateral platforms.  This declaration with Turkey will enter in Europe’s modern history, as an essential instrument that ensures geopolitical cohesion, economic prosperity and provides a better security framework for the entire continent.  It is certain that some Western European Governments, while in domestic crisis, are skeptical to this economic and strategic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan; nonetheless, France and other Western European Countries, are substantial beneficiaries of the Shusha Declaration. Shusha Declaration is a strategic agreement that purports a greater geopolitical cooperation between Ankara and Baku and reduces the consequences of emerging threats – such as Armenia’s regional armed provocations and ISIS – throughout the whole European Continent and in the Black Sea region. 

The President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrives in Baku, immediately after the unusual NATO Summit in Brussels, this geopolitical move of Turkish President has an enormous impact for the entire European Continent and for Central Asian economic progress.  Flying directly from Brussels to Baku, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is showing to the European Union Leaders and to Washington, that Europe is not safe, nor secure, unless the Top Brass in Belgium and United States do not pay significant attention to the ongoing developments in the Southern Caucasus Region and continue to turn a blind eye towards Armenia’s belligerent rhetoric and massive plantation of land mines and anti-tank mines inside the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan. Armenia’s previous military actions inside the territory of Azerbaijan must be energetically condemned and investigated by international actors and governments.  The Republic of Turkey is one of the twenty largest economies in the world and its leadership role to preserve economic prosperity and regional security is enormously important; there is no other country in the Transatlantic geography that comes close to what Ankara has done in securing the eastern flanks of Europe and serving as an economic engine during these times of uncertainty when a global pandemic crisis had tragically affected the Western Capitalism and International Commerce.

For decades investment has been falling in the European Union space, living standards have stagnated or declined, and inequality has soared dramatically. On the other hand, Azerbaijan and Turkey have implemented Economic Policies that have promoted unbridled economic growth, industrial production, regional infrastructure projects, strengthened Eurasian logistical corridors and improved the quality of living among citizens in both countries.  EU has neither reformed the financial system nor restored stable growth; meanwhile the SHUSHA DECLARATION is a tremendous alliance that will further develop the economy of recently liberated areas of Dağlıq Qarabağ, that is a sovereign territory of Azerbaijan, liberated from the Armed Forces of Armenia during the second Karabakh War in September – November 2020.  The Shusha Declaration will produce strategic and geopolitical benefits for both nations and ensure a greater regional stability from the shores of the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea, as well as guaranteed security measures and a brand-new economic reality is in the horizon, that will directly benefit the entire European Continent. The Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan, sovereign territory of Azerbaijan, will also experience a greater level of economic development and an increase of its participation in international commerce and exports.  Nakhchivan, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and Chairman Vasif Talibov, is among the world’s top two regions that are commended for mitigating the pandemic with zero cases of Covid-19 on the ground: implementing impressive measures across Nakhchivan’s urban and rural areas. Above all the economy has flourished in this region of Azerbaijan and the Shusha Declaration will further enable Nakhchivan to participate in international markets and develop new logistical – industrial parks that will increase the levels of production and exports.