Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday and invited him to the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Ankara, as tensions between the two countries continue over restrictions on headscarves in Azerbaijani schools.
The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional and global developments, according to statements from the Turkish Presidency and the Azerbaijani Presidency. Neither statement mentioned the recent dispute.
Erdoğan said cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan would continue to deepen, building on their brotherly ties. He also once again congratulated Aliyev on the 35th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s restored independence, after posting a separate congratulatory message on Sunday.
Aliyev thanked Erdoğan for the call and his congratulations, expressing confidence that relations between the two countries would continue to develop successfully, according to the Azerbaijani presidential statement.
The summit is scheduled for October 29-30 in Ankara. Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chairman Kürşad Zorlu said foreign ministers would meet on October 29, followed by the leaders on October 30. Turkey is also set to take over the organization’s rotating chairmanship from Azerbaijan at the summit. Although Turkish media have reported that Aliyev is expected to attend, the two presidents’ statements did not confirm his participation.
The call came amid tensions over Azerbaijani school dress rules, which reportedly led to girls wearing headscarves being turned away from classrooms. Turkish officials and ruling party figures criticized the restrictions, while Azerbaijan’s ruling New Azerbaijan Party accused them of interfering in the country’s domestic affairs.
On Tuesday Azerbaijan barred 31 Turkish citizens from entering the country, following arrest warrants issued in absentia for seven other Turkish nationals over alleged calls to overthrow the Azerbaijani government. The developments have added to tensions between Ankara and Baku.
A Middle East Eye report also said Azerbaijani officials had asked Ankara to dismiss presidential chief adviser Oktay Saral, who criticized the school restrictions, and to take action against some social media commentators. The reported request has not been confirmed in an official public statement.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged both sides last week not to allow disagreements to damage their strategic relationship. Speaking in Baku on October 15, he said differences should be addressed through dialogue rather than exploited to undermine ties between the two countries.
Azerbaijan regained its independence in October 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Turkey was among the first countries to recognize the newly independent state. The Organization of Turkic States promotes cooperation among its member states in areas including politics, trade and culture. Founded in 2009 as the Turkic Council, it adopted its current name in 2021.
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