Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will not attend the summit of the Organization of Turkic States, which is taking place on October 30 in Ankara. The country will be represented by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
Aliyev's absence is explained by previously planned commitments in Baku, despite a personal invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The decision comes amid public tension between the two allies.
The dispute began over school rules
In September, Azerbaijan changed the requirements for school uniforms. They prohibit clothing that does not comply with established rules or the secular nature of education. The headscarves are not explicitly mentioned, but there have been reports of female students being denied entry to classes for wearing them.
The restrictions were criticized by Oktay Saral, an adviser to Erdogan. The reaction prompted a sharp stance from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, which accused Turkish politicians of interfering in Azerbaijan's internal affairs.
On October 26, Saral announced his resignation, saying he was leaving his post on Erdogan's instructions. According to Middle East Eye, Azerbaijan has demanded his removal.
Restrictions on Turkish citizens
Baku has banned the entry of 31 Turkish citizens and issued arrest warrants for seven others for statements related to the dispute. These actions have expanded the conflict beyond disagreements over school policy.
Political analyst Arastun Oruclu believes that tensions between the two countries began before the headscarf dispute. He points to the rapprochement between Azerbaijan and Israel as one of the main sources of disagreements. In an interview with “Meydan TV“ Oruclu said: “These factors are just a pretext used mainly by official Baku to provoke conflict.“
Despite the disagreements, Aliyev congratulated Erdogan on October 29 on the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic and emphasized the friendly and allied relations between the two countries.
Turkey takes over the chairmanship of the organization
In Ankara, Turkey will take over the rotating chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States from Azerbaijan. The leaders are expected to discuss trade, transport and energy, as well as adopt the Ankara Declaration.
In parallel with the forum, Jeyhun Bayramov held a bilateral meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. According to “Report“ the talks were dedicated to the development of bilateral relations.
Sources: bgnes.bg, report.az, jam-news.net