Turkey-Azerbaijan Relations after 15 July: Expectations, Solidarity and Cooperation

The 15 July failed coup in Turkey changed the country’s foreign policy priorities. Since then, the country has redefined its relations with a number of countries based on how they responded to the coup attempt, and whether they cooperated with Ankara in apprehending the penetrators, the FETÖ. Given that 2017 marked the 25th anniversary of the establishment of official diplomatic relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, and that the two countries have had steady and mutually supportive policies throughout this time, this paper examines whether the post-15 July environment has led to changes in the relationship. Specifically, the paper analyzes Azerbaijan’s response to the ‘fight on FETÖ’, and the development of relations following the coup attempt. Our assessment of the post-15 July political developments suggests that bilateral relations have affirmed the path dependency of the two countries. The attempted coup and its consequences have not had any kind of negative impact on relations; on the contrary, the support Azerbaijan showed to Turkey in the ‘fight on FETÖ’ has deepened mutual trust, thereby further strengthening the path dependent solidarity and cooperation.

Authors: Hüsrev Tabak,Özgür Tüfekçi
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