Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, will not attend the Organization of Turkic States summit, which is taking place on October 29 and 30 in Ankara, according to reports in Azerbaijani and Turkish media. His absence comes amid a period of diplomatic tension between Ankara and Baku.
According to the same reports, Azerbaijan will be represented by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, while Aliyev’s absence is officially attributed to prior commitments in Baku.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The Azerbaijani President is expected to attend the closing ceremony of a sporting event, which is scheduled for Friday, October 30.
This development is particularly significant, as Turkey is expected to take over the rotating presidency of the Organization of Turkic States from Azerbaijan during the summit.
Tension Over the Headscarf
Aliyev’s absence comes in the wake of a controversy sparked by restrictions on the wearing of headscarves in Azerbaijani schools.
The restrictions sparked reactions in Turkey, including from Oktay Saral, an advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
According to reports, Saral’s removal from his post was linked to Ankara’s effort to de-escalate tensions in its relations with Baku.
Turkish media also report difficulties in recent contacts between the two sides, though it has not been officially confirmed that Aliyev’s decision not to travel to Ankara is related to this specific dispute.
The Azerbaijani president’s absence from the summit, however, raises questions about the state of relations between the two countries, which maintain close political, military, and energy cooperation.
Source: CNA
