Erdoğan pledges to visit Karabakh after Eid al-Fitr

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 31 said he plans to visit Shusha, the symbolic city of Karabakh liberated last year from the Armenian occupation.

“We hope that we will have a new holiday in Shusha as soon as possible by visiting Shusha after Eid al-Fitr,” Erdoğan said, addressing the Turkic Council Presidents Summit with a live link.

“It is important that we continue to stand by Azerbaijan with all means for the preservation of the Turkish heritage in Karabakh,” he stated.

He stressed the return of all refugees to Azerbaijan to this region as soon as possible after reconstruction in the field.

During the 44-day conflict, which ended in a truce on Nov. 10, 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages in Karabakh from a nearly three-decade-long Armenian occupation.

The president also emphasized that it was a necessity of brotherhood to show solidarity with the Turkish Cypriots, who are “an integral part of the Turkish world.”

“I believe that you will help the Turkish Cypriots for the lifting of the embargoes. I believe that by joining forces, we will bring the Turkish Cypriots to the position they deserve,” he stated.

Establishing a direct connection to Europe will increase prosperity, he said, noting that the organization must accelerate the work carried out in this field.

He also stressed speeding up negotiations to finalize the freight transport agreement. Erdoğan also said it is time to call the council an international organization.