Turkic World Hails Washington Deal as "Victory"

During the regular summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held in Azerbaijan and the meetings held in parallel, many of the participants, in one way or another, touched upon the Armenian theme. The latest statements outline a coordinated vision for the future of the South Caucasus, at the core of which is the declaration signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington on August 8. The speeches of the leaders of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan show that the Turkic world views this document not only as the end of a bilateral conflict but also as a strategic victory that opens the way for the formation of a new transport and economic architecture, with the key role of the so-called "Zangezur Corridor."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking at a session of the OTS Council of Foreign Ministers, positively assessed the "significant progress" made towards achieving lasting peace in the South Caucasus. According to him, this is of crucial importance not only for the South Caucasus but also for the stability of the wider region. Fidan expressed satisfaction with the declaration signed in Washington, linking it to broader geopolitical projects. He emphasized that thanks to the progress achieved, the opening of new transport and communication lines in the region will contribute to efforts to restore the historic route of the "Silk Road."

The importance of this topic for Ankara was emphasized by the President of Turkey. "We are not only following the events taking place in the South Caucasus, but we also sincerely support the steps aimed at establishing peace and stability in the region," stated Recep Erdoğan.

The statements of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev were more specific and dictatorial in nature. He noted that the initialing of the peace treaty will turn the South Caucasus into a zone of peace. However, in parallel with this peaceful rhetoric, he clearly stressed: "We will never forget the Armenian occupation. We will hold sacred the memory of our martyrs, their blood shed on the battlefield." Aliyev particularly highlighted one of the most important results of the Washington summit: the opening of the so-called "Zangezur Corridor," which, according to him, "will contribute to the strengthening of regional ties."

Speaking about regional development, Aliyev noted energy security as a key direction. He presented Azerbaijan as an "irreplaceable and reliable partner" that now supplies natural gas to 14 countries. Moreover, he emphasized Azerbaijan's active participation in the formation of the East-West and North-South transport corridors and announced a new, ambitious project: "Now we are working on the creation of a Central Asia – Azerbaijan – Turkey – Europe green energy corridor."

The statement of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev gives the Washington declaration a pan-Turkic resonance. He described it as a "victory of the Turkic peoples," thereby elevating a bilateral agreement to the level of a universal, civilizational achievement. Mirziyoyev also stressed that the declaration opens up broad opportunities for cooperation in the economic and transport spheres. This assessment shows that all OTS member states, regardless of their geographical location, are interested in the opening of new communications in the South Caucasus, as this also provides them with an outlet to Europe, bypassing traditional routes.

In fact, although absent, Armenia was "present" at the meeting of the Organization of Turkic States as one of the parties that signed the Washington declaration. According to the OTS approach, the declaration is viewed as a document of strategic importance, which will serve not only to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations but also to deepen the economic and political integration of the Turkic world, establishing a new regional architecture centered on Azerbaijan and Turkey.