The interview of the chief coordinator for foreign relations at the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries, Mr Hulusi Kilic, with Azerbaijan Today magazine.

AT : Mr Ambassador, you retired after a long diplomatic career. Do you not miss your busy schedule?

I retired from the Foreign Ministry in 2018. I am currently working as the chief coordinator of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries, a member of the board of Istanbul Okan University and at the same time, head of the working council of the town of Tokat. To be honest, I have a busy schedule.

AT: Mr Kilic, could you please give our readers spme information about yourself and your diplomatic activity?

I was born in the village of Koklu in Resadiye District of Tokat. I am the fifth of the 10 children of a farmer’s family. I got my primary education in a secondary school and lyceum in a small village in Resadiye.

Then I graduated from the French Language and Literature Faculty at Hacettepe University in Ankara. After graduating from the faculty, I began working at the Foreign Ministry as an administrative employee. After two years, I was appointed to the consulate-general of Turkey in Strasbourg. I worked there and got a decree from the Department of Political Sciences of the University of Strasbourg. After graduating from this department, I became “a career diplomat” at the Foreign Ministry.

I worked in Algeria, Bulgaria (Sofia), Montreal (Canada), Georgia (Tbilisi), Syria (Aleppo), Azerbaijan and Moldova.

In Aleppo, I worked as consul-general and in Azerbaijan and Moldova – as ambassador. I was decorated with the Friendship Medal by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, with the Honorary Medal by Moldova’s former President Igor Dodon, and with the Presidential Medal by the head of the Gagauz Autonomour Region, Mrs Irina Vlah.

AT : I won’t be wrong if I say that you have gained the greatest public sympathy among Turkish ambassadors working in our country. Your phrase “Our Beloved Azerbaijan” became a talking point. What was your biggest achievement during your diplomatic tenure in Azerbaijan?

My biggest achievement when I worked as ambassador in Azerbaijan is that I gained the love of President Ilham Aliyev and the people and brought the two fraternal peoples closer to each other. Also, my efforts not to open the Turkish-Armenian border in 2009 were crowned with success. I think that these are important issues.

AT : During the Second Karabakh War, Turkey gave Azerbaijan great moral and political support. During the 10 December Victory Parade, the whole world and international community witnessed Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood and military partnership. How do you see the future of our strategic partnership?

The Second Karabakh War allowed Turkish and Azerbaijani officials and the two fraternal peoples to come to know each other even better. The aid provided by the Azerbaijani state with personnel and equipment during the forest fires in Turkey in July this year is the most graphic example of this. I believe that as was the case during the Karabakh war, we will act as one nation – one state if necessary. The two fraternal countries will play an important role in the development of the Caucasus.

AT : Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are based on a deep and well-thought out policy based on mutual interests. Our victory in the Second Karabakh War with the moral and political support of Turkey created a new reality in the region. How do you assess the geopolitical prospects of the region?

A new reality emerged in the region after the Second Karabakh War. The fact that Azerbaijan retook its lands occupied by Armenia for 30 years in a military way, the fact that the Zangezur corridor came on the agenda following the 10 November 2020 Trilaterial Ceasefire Declaration and the work of Turkish generals and officers at the monitoring centre in Agdam are the new reality. This will have a significant impact on the geopolitical prospects of the region in the future.

Armenia must accept the new reality that emerged after the historic victory of Our Beloved Azerbaijan and sit at the negotiating table for a comprehensive peace treaty without delay. Azerbaijan is experiencing a new stage in its development right now, while Armenia is reeling from the psychological impact of its historic defeat. Chaos and instability continue in the country.

Our Beloved Azerbaijan proudly lives as a winning power and victorious people.