BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 13. Relations between
Azerbaijan and Türkiye are based on a shared history, culture,
language, mutual trust, and strategic partnership. Over the years,
these ties have stood the test of time, giving rise to a model of
political, economic, and military cooperation that serves the
interests of both countries. Türkiye will always be a friendly and
brotherly country to Azerbaijan. However, brotherly relations do
not give anyone the right to tell Azerbaijan what to do, judge its
domestic decisions, or interfere in its state policy.
Recent remarks by Oktay Saral, chief adviser to Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and some Turkish political and
public figures regarding school uniform rules in Azerbaijan raise
serious questions in this regard. Saral claimed on social media
that the right to education of students wearing hijabs in
Azerbaijan was being restricted and called on the country to
reverse its decision. Yet the issue concerns the rules governing
Azerbaijan’s education system, the operating principles of state
schools, and the legal framework established by the country
itself.
It is unacceptable for a senior adviser to the Turkish president
to speak in such a tone about another sovereign state’s domestic
education policy. Representatives of Türkiye’s ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) who have commented on the same issue should
also remember that Azerbaijan is not a country that adjusts its
decisions to the expectations of foreign political centers.
Türkiye is not Azerbaijan’s big brother; it is a brotherly
country. There is an important difference between the two concepts.
Brotherhood requires equality, mutual respect, and understanding of
each other’s choices. The claim to be a “big backer,” by contrast,
can turn relations into a framework in which one side assumes the
right to guide the other, evaluate its decisions, and intervene
when it sees fit. Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations have never been
based on such an approach, and they should not be.
Azerbaijan’s attitude toward Türkiye, the value it places on
cooperation with the country, and its efforts to protect shared
interests should be beyond doubt. The two countries have
implemented major projects in politics, the economy, energy,
transport, and defense. Azerbaijan has fulfilled its commitments
and remained faithful to agreements and the principles of
partnership. It is wrong to use the notion that Azerbaijan owes
Türkiye some kind of moral debt as a basis for trying to influence
its independent decisions.
Historical roots, a shared language and culture, and mutual
support in difficult times are values that unite the two countries.
But these values must not be turned into instruments of political
influence. Azerbaijan’s friendly attitude toward Türkiye and its
commitment to strategic partnership do not mean that it must
surrender its sovereignty. Gratitude cannot be treated as an
obligation that limits the right to make independent decisions.
Azerbaijan pursues an independent foreign policy and asserts its
own position in international and regional affairs. There are ample
examples of this. Baku maintains relations with countries from
different geopolitical camps, provides a platform for dialogue
between parties in conflict, and makes decisions based on its
national interests. This policy is no coincidence; it is one of the
fundamental principles of Azerbaijan’s state strategy.
The country’s independence is measured not only by its refusal
to submit to the decisions of other states. Independence also means
making decisions on domestic matters itself and implementing them
in accordance with its own laws and national interests. Azerbaijan
cannot abandon this principle in its relations with Türkiye or with
any other partner.
The issue of school uniforms should also be considered within
this framework. Dress codes in state schools fall under
Azerbaijan’s legislation and education policy. Turning the issue
into a religious confrontation, portraying Azerbaijan as a country
that restricts religious freedoms, and attempting to exert
political pressure from abroad distort the essence of the
matter.
Azerbaijan is a secular state. Representatives of different
religions and ethnic groups live in the country, where religious
beliefs and cultural differences are respected. Multiculturalism is
an important feature of Azerbaijan’s public life, and this approach
will continue to be upheld. However, freedom of religion and the
state’s right to establish common rules for its education system
should not be presented as mutually exclusive concepts.
A school is not merely a place where knowledge is imparted. It
is also where children develop their worldview and learn social
interaction and civic responsibility. Protecting equal educational
opportunities for girls and boys and ensuring that children are not
subjected to religious or ideological pressure are equally
important. Rather than turning girls’ access to education into an
instrument in religious disputes, the focus should be on
safeguarding their right to education and their future
opportunities.
Azerbaijan’s school uniform rules can be criticized. However,
such discussions should take place within the country’s legal
system and domestic public debate. No foreign official should
assume the role of decision-maker on what rules must apply in
Azerbaijan’s schools. Friendship and partnership are measured
precisely by mutual respect on such sensitive issues.
At a time when Türkiye itself faces economic, social, and
political challenges, and debates over religious values and the
principles of secular life remain part of its domestic agenda,
statements of this kind about Azerbaijan raise additional
questions. Of course, Türkiye’s domestic problems do not determine
Azerbaijan’s decisions. By the same token, Türkiye’s political
agenda cannot dictate the direction of Azerbaijan’s domestic
policy.
The key question is this: if strengthening the strategic
partnership between Azerbaijan and Türkiye serves the interests of
both sides, whom do statements that heighten tensions around a
sensitive Azerbaijani social issue and risk deepening domestic
divisions actually serve, and to what end? Such an approach does
not contribute to relations between the two countries. On the
contrary, it may cast a shadow over mutual trust.
Türkiye’s importance to Azerbaijan is not in dispute. Equally
undeniable is Azerbaijan’s importance to Türkiye as a strategic
partner. The strength of these relations lies not in one side’s
ability to influence the other, but in equal cooperation between
independent states. Azerbaijan-Türkiye brotherhood should rest on
shared interests and mutual respect, not on claims by either
country to political superiority over the other.
Azerbaijan has never placed its state decisions under the
patronage of another country. It has established its own position
in international relations, made independent decisions amid complex
regional developments, and defended its national interests. In this
context, treating Azerbaijan’s friendly attitude toward Türkiye as
grounds for interfering in its domestic affairs is wrong both
politically and morally.
President Ilham Aliyev’s remarks at the 8th Congress of the New
Azerbaijan Party clearly express Azerbaijan’s position on
statehood. Comparing the reliance of various countries on foreign
patrons with Azerbaijan’s independent path, the president said:
“Today, wars are going on in various places. Everyone has a big
backer behind them, so to speak – some even have several. But we
stood alone. All those big backers were against us.”
The president went on to emphasize the fundamental principle of
Azerbaijan’s foreign policy: “We need no one's help or patronage.
When we needed help, no one helped us.”
Azerbaijan has no “big backer.” It makes its own decisions and
determines its own path. Türkiye is a friend and brother to this
independent state. That is precisely why brotherhood in relations
between the two countries must remain a matter of mutual respect,
while sovereignty must remain the unchanging foundation of all
political relations.
