Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

On April 2, 2021, an article by Jamil Hasanli on Azerbaijan-Turkey relations in 2009 was posted on the Facebook page of the Azadlig newspaper. In the article, Jamil Hasanli said that in April 2009, on the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the then head of the Presidential Administration, Ramiz Mehdiyev, instructed a number of deputies to speak out against Turkey.

I would like to draw the public's attention to the fact that Jamil Hasanli's statement is completely slanderous and completely untrue. Mr. President Ilham Aliyev has never given me such a task. In turn, I did not give instructions similar to any deputy.

Mr. President Ilham Aliyev has always praised Turkish-Azerbaijani relations and made great contributions to the deepening of the principle of "one nation, two states" in all areas of our relations.

Azerbaijani-Turkish relations are of strategic importance for both countries and are based on the principles of brotherhood. Everyone must understand the importance of these relations, try to protect them, and not allow the provocations of outside forces. In my turn, I call on Jamil Hasanli to weigh his statements on such a sensitive issue and act more responsibly.