To His Excellency Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Türkiye

Dear Mr. President,

My dear Brother,

I am honored to congratulate you and the brotherly people of Türkiye on my behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye and to convey my heartfelt wishes to you.

A century ago, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the great son of the Turkic world, a skilled commander and brilliant leader, managed to unite the people of Türkiye around a single ideal and successfully ended the struggle for independence by establishing the Republic of Türkiye, the most magnificent product of his life. On this special day, we revere the dear memory of Great Leader Ataturk, his comrades-in-arms, and our heroic martyrs with deep respect.

The Republic of Türkiye, which achieved its independence at the cost of the lives and blood of its martyrs in a very complex and contradictory international situation, a hundred years on, is a strong and powerful state with an important position on the global political map that has its say in global affairs. Ataturk's legacy, brotherly Türkiye’s development path in the last 20 years, its tremendous achievements in all fields ranging from the world's leading army to high technology and innovation, as well as the confidence and reputation it has earned in the world, are all the result of your unwavering resolve, tireless work, and decisive and wise policy. The unequivocal support of your people for the line of strategic development you are implementing with great determination and the boundless trust and confidence in you are the most important factors that will ensure the future success and achievements of Türkiye.

As a brotherly country, we feel great pride and joy to see modern Türkiye becoming stronger day by day and taking its rightful place in the ranks of the most advanced countries. The saying of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, “One nation, two states”, is an expression of brotherhood, unity, and solidarity of our peoples that reflects the true essence of our bilateral relations. I would like to note with a sense of immense pride that as evidence of this philosophy, Azerbaijan and Türkiye are currently the closest countries and allies in the world.

As was the case throughout history, our peoples stand with each other today and experience both joy and sorrow together. The people of Azerbaijan will never forget the unequivocal political support and resolute position of the brotherly Turkish state and people led by you for the just cause and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan during and after the Patriotic War.

We are determined to strengthen Azerbaijan-Türkiye relations, which have been raised to the level of alliance after the Shusha Declaration. Our intergovernmental relations are built on an unshakable foundation of common moral values, and religious and cultural roots, and are also a guarantee of stability, peace, development, and security in the region.

I am sure that we will continue to carry out our honorable mission jointly and successfully to keep forever the Azerbaijan-Türkiye brotherhood and unity, which is our greatest asset, further strengthen it, and develop our comprehensive cooperation.

On this historic day, I share in the joy of you and the people of brotherly Türkiye, and wish you robust health, happiness, and success in your responsible state activities, and the Republic of Türkiye everlasting prosperity, well-being, and development.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 26 October 2023