Turkey-Azerbaijan relations after the cold war: The impact of increasing cooperation on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem

Turkey's relations with Azerbaijan since the period of the National Struggle revolved around the independence of the Azerbaijan People's Republic. Founded in 1918 and established relations with the Ottoman state, the Azerbaijan People's Republic (AHC) joined the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) shortly after two years. Until the 1990s, the Republic of Azerbaijan, part of the USSR for a long time, gained its independence after 1991, and immediately after its independence, Turkish-Azerbaijani relations began to develop in the political and economic spheres. Azerbaijan, while pursuing a pro-European foreign policy through Turkey, has also tried to pursue a balanced policy in its relations with Russia. In this thesis, the political and economic dimensions of the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan, which have lasted for thirty years, will be addressed. In terms of the economic dimension of the relationship, from Turkey's point of view, the energy and access agreements with Azerbaijan have contributed to Turkey's energy security by reducing its gas dependence on Russia and Iran. It will also focus on the strategic dimensions of Turkish-Azerbaijani economic relations, such as linking Central Asian states and China, Turkey and Europe. On the other hand, in terms of political relations between the two countries, it can be said that it is important for Azerbaijan, which is experiencing a political crisis over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, to receive Turkey's political support on the issue of territorial integrity. Turkey has played a role in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict while providing military and political support to Azerbaijan. In this regard, bilateral relations have developed within the framework of Turkish Foreign Policy (TDP)'s priorities with the South Caucasus, Turkey has strengthened the energy security of both European states and has established its own political presence in the region. In the introductory part of this study, the method followed in the context of the content, purpose and research is described. In the first part, the beginning of Turkey-Azerbaijan relations; Military and political support of the Ottoman state for the independence of Azerbaijan; The importance of the Nakhchivan region in Turkey-Azerbaijan relations and Turkey-Azerbaijan relations established in 1991 will be examined. In the second part, Turkish-Azerbaijani relations in the first Karabakh war will be examined. In the third section, the importance of Azerbaijan's role as a corridor in the South Caucasus region, as well as the economic benefits provided by the Turkish-Azerbaijani energy and development projects to the two countries, will be emphasized. In the fourth section, Turkey's foreign policy towards the South Caucasus in recent years will focus on important developments in Turkish-Azerbaijani relations before the second Karabakh war. In the fifth section, the solution to the Karabakh problem will be discussed, and the importance of the Karabakh region, which is the strategic winner of the Second Karabakh War, and the Zengezur Corridor from the Turkish point of view will be discussed.