BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. A briefing for media representatives was held in Baku with the assistance of the Embassy of Turkmenistan, dedicated to the ceremony of laying the foundation of a mosque in the Azerbaijani city of Fuzuli - a gift from Turkmenistan to the brotherly Azerbaijani people, Trend reports.
Addressing the participants of the event, the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, Gurbanmammet Elyasov, noted that the ceremony of laying the foundation of the mosque, which took place within the framework of the 12th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Gabala, was a significant event not only for the Turkic world, but also for the entire Islamic world.
“The laying of the foundation of the mosque in Fizuli symbolizes the restoration of Karabakh's belonging to the Republic of Azerbaijan. I am confident that in the future this mosque will become a symbol of friendship and brotherhood among the Turkic peoples,” he stressed.
Deputy of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Culture Gunay Efendiyeva added that the noble tradition of fraternal initiatives continues: a school named after Mirza Ulugbek, built on the initiative of Uzbekistan, is already operating in Fuzuli, and now Turkmenistan is implementing a new symbolic project.
According to her, the establishment of sister city relations between Fizuli and one of the cities of Turkmenistan creates additional opportunities for strengthening cultural ties and holding joint events.
In turn, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Birol Akgün added that strengthening spiritual and cultural values, developing infrastructure, and supporting education have always been important principles of the Turkic world. “Create, develop, open your hearts, show justice, bring joy wherever you go,” he recalled the legacy of Ahmed Yesevi.
According to the diplomat, the joint initiatives of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan demonstrate not only the brotherhood of peoples but also their commitment to working together to preserve the cultural values and spiritual heritage of the region.
Azerbaijani MP and Chairman of the Council of Elders, Eldar Guliyev, stressed that all Turkic states provided moral support to Azerbaijan during the Second Karabakh War.
"Armenia completely destroyed the territories of Azerbaijan during its 30-year occupation. After liberating the lands from occupation, we began restoration work and saw the support of the Turkic states in this process. The mosque, which is a gift from Turkmenistan, will probably be built and handed over in the near future. We highly appreciate this gift because it testifies to our unity," he said.
Tanzila Rustamkhanli, a member of the Azerbaijani Parliament and head of the working group on interparliamentary relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, added that
The Turkic world has come a long way to achieve its current level of unity, and it is political will and mutual trust that have made the rapprochement between the brotherly countries possible.
“Azerbaijan's victory in the Karabakh war is a victory for the entire Turkic world,” the deputy stressed.
Rustamkhanli expressed special gratitude to Turkmenistan for its active participation in the 10th summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala and for its initiative to build a mosque in the city of Fuzuli, calling this step a strong message to the world about the solidarity of the Turkic peoples.
“The laying of the foundation stone of the mosque is not just a religious event, but a symbol of spiritual and cultural unity. With this step, Turkmenistan has shown the whole world the power of brotherhood and the common values of the Turkic states,” she said.
