Erdogan congratulates Azerbaijan on conquest of Nagorno-Karabakh: “Historic success” Major protest against possible amnesty for separatists in Spain

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the conquest of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani army achieved a “historic success”.

Erdogan said this on Monday in the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhchivan, according to Anadolu news agency. With Turkey’s support, regional developments are moving in the right direction, Aliyev said.

Following brief, violent attacks by the Azerbaijani army last week, defenders of the internationally unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh were forced to lay down their arms. Nagorno-Karabakh is inhabited by a majority of Armenians. Turkey is a close ally of Azerbaijan, which wants to reintegrate the area. Karabakh Armenians fear expulsion or revenge from authoritarian Azerbaijan after decades of conflict.

In the afternoon, Erdogan and Aliyev also wanted to participate in the laying of the foundation stone for a new natural gas pipeline between Turkey and the neighboring Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhichevan. Azerbaijan is also increasing pressure on areas of southeastern Armenia to create a corridor to Nakhchivan, which is largely surrounded by Armenia and Iran. (sda/dpa)