(MENAFN- AzerNews) By Susanbar Aghamaliyeva
Turkiye's consul general Asip Kaya to the Azerbaijani exclave of
Nakhchivan in an interview with Ph.D. in Philology Susanbar
Aghamaliyeva, Nakhchivan-based contributor of Azernews, speaks
about his plans to further deepen relations between the region and
Turkiye.
[Q] Mr. Consul General Asip Kaya, thank you very much
for giving this interview. Please tell our readers about yourself.
How have you become a consul general?
[A] I was born in 1972 in Igdir and studied at
the foreign relations department of Ankara University. I also did a
Master's Degree at Lancaster University, UK.
I began my career at the Turkish Foreign Ministry and then
worked as the third secretary in Lagos, Nigeria, and the second
secretary at Turkiye's NATO representative office. Moreover, I
worked in Pakistan, Egypt, Nuremberg, Oslo, and Vienna, where I was
the consul general for four years, and came back to Ankara, where I
worked for a year at the ministry. On December 15, 2022, I was
appointed Turkiye's consul general to the Nakhchivan Autonomous
Republic. I am fluent in English and German languages.
I am married with three daughters. Being a consul general and in
the diplomatic system is very interesting and if somebody loves his
job, it will be very easy and interesting to him. At difficult
times, I worked in Pakistan and Egypt. I love my job very much and
I am proud of serving my people and doing my best to expand
relations between Turkiye and the Azerbaijani exclave of
Nakhchivan.
[Q] What is your assessment of cooperation between
Azerbaijan and Turkiye?
[A] Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye are developing day
by day. As we know, political views are always identical. As the
great Turkish leader, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk said,“Azerbaijan's
sorrow is our sorrow; Azerbaijan's joy is our joy”.
National leader Heydar Aliyev described Azerbaijan and Turkey as
one nation, two states. Two ideas by the great leaders indicate the
real situation between the two nations. The people of Azerbaijan
demonstrated unity with Turkiye and supported the people of Turkiye
during the February 6, 2023, earthquake.
Azerbaijani rescuers and ordinary people rushed to Turkiye to
help the quake victims with caravans of trucks carrying food and
other articles of daily necessity from Baku, Ganja, and Nakhchivan
to alleviate the pains and sorrow of the quake victims.
Azerbaijan set up hospitals in the earthquake zone in Turkiye as
well. Azerbaijanis, including the people of Nakhchivan, ministers,
heads of state agencies, especially the Azerbaijani president's
representative in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Fuad Nacafli,
expressed their sorrows and uttered nice words on cooperation
between Turkiye and Azerbaijan in their letters of condolences on
the earthquake.
Our fraternal relations are eternal and the Shusha declaration,
signed on June 15, 2021, is very significant in the international
arena. Relations in the economic, cultural, and cultural spheres
between the two countries develop day by day. I have done my best
for the development of relations between Turkiye and the Nakhchivan
Autonomous Republic since the day I was named the consul
general.
The trade turnover between Nakhchivan and Turkiye has reached
$75m. We must increase the amount of trade turnover. Moreover, new
cultural projects are underway as well. We have a sincere dialog
between the Azerbaijani presidential representative in the
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Fuad Nacafli, and others in order
to promote relations. We shall do our best to develop cooperation
as well.
[Q] Mr. Asip Kaya, what can you say about future
cooperation between Turkiye and the Nakhchivan Autonomous
Republic?
[A] Turkiye's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has described
relations as the best period between Azerbaijan and Turkiye. There
is a potential to develop and improve relations between the two
countries. We must improve relations in all spheres.
[Q] How will the opening of the Zangazur corridor impact
the relations between Turkiye and Azerbaijan?
[A] Nakhchivan has a strategic role in the region. Turkiye's
great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk described Nakhchivan as a door
to Turkiye. Kazım Karabekir Pasa called Nakhchivan the door to the
East. As far as I know, the opening of the Zangazur corridor will
increase Naxcivan's role in the Turkic world as well. It will help
people and trade turnover to increase as well. Hope the signing of
a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia will pave the way
for the opening of the Zangazur corridor. The Turkic world will be
more powerful after the opening of the corridor.
[Q] Mr. Asip Kaya, have you projects designed to further
deepen the relations in the future? What can you say about your
future plans?
[A] We have great opportunities to develop relations, and we
have some economic projects as well. A trade delegation from Igdir
will visit Nakhchivan to discuss the expansion of economic and
trade relations. They will meet certain officials of the Economy
Ministry of Nakhchivan, Fuad Nacafli, and business people. The
sides will have an exchange of opinions on expanding economic
relations.
We are working towards opening a branch of the Ziraat bank in
the exclave as well. Moreover, the Nakhchivan-Turkiye Trade House
will be opened as well. We want to mark the 100th
anniversary of Heydar Aliyev and the Children's holiday on 23
April. We also want to have an exchange of experience between
teachers from Nakhchivan and Turkiye. Education, art, and cultural
relations will also develop. Thus, 26,000 Azerbaijani students
study in Turkiye and about 1,300 Turkish students at the Nakhchivan
State University. They are bridges between the two nations. I will
do my best to further contribute to the development of the
relations.
[Q] What are your hobbies?
[A] I am a positive person in life. Although I had difficulties
in various countries, where I was appointed consul general and in
my diplomatic career, I have always been optimistic. Nakhchivan is
the eighth country where I work. Azerbaijan, including Nakhchivan,
is dear to me as my own country. As I said, I was born in Igdir and
both regions have the same traditions, especially the Novruz
holiday.
I loved Novruz very much and it reminds me of my childhood as
well. As a diplomat, I highly appreciate positive things in the
countries where I served. I like to play tennis and love music and
the arts. Nakhchivan has two theaters - the philharmonic and
musical-dramatic theaters, and I enjoy them very much. I love
Azerbaijani bozbash and overall Novruz food very much. I
participated in the Novruz holiday with Fuad Nacafli, the
Azerbaijani president's representative in Nakhchivan. I liked the
Kosa-Kosa play at the Novruz festival as well. I highly appreciate
Novruz festivals in the autonomous republic. One nation, two
states. Long Live Azerbaijan and Turkiye fraternity.
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