Turkish Views On Azerbaijan: A Cultural Perspective

Azerbaijan and Turkey are the only two predominantly Turkic countries located west of the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijanis and Turks are ethnically the same people, with a shared language and culture. The two countries have historically shared strong relations, with Turkey being one of the first countries to recognise Azerbaijan's independence in 1918 and again in 1991. Both countries have also cooperated militarily, with Turkey supporting Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. However, some Azerbaijanis express dissatisfaction with the extent of Turkish cultural influence in their country, fearing the loss of their national identity.

Turkish influence on Azerbaijani youth

Turkish culture exerts a significant influence on modern Azerbaijani youth. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, a wave of Turkish music, films, and TV shows entered Azerbaijan and quickly gained popularity. Turkish culture represented something foreign and new, in contrast to Soviet culture. Turkish television channels, films, and literature offered a window into the wider world for many Azerbaijani youth. Additionally, the similarity between the Azerbaijani and Turkish languages made Turkish media and literature easily accessible.

Turkish restaurants, cable TV channels, literature, and music are now commonplace in Azerbaijan. The influence of Turkish culture is also evident in the appearance and behaviour of Azerbaijani youth, who often emulate the fashion and mannerisms of their Turkish counterparts. This phenomenon, known as "Turkophilia," is particularly prevalent among young people in Baku's bars and restaurants.

The appeal of Turkish culture among Azerbaijani youth can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the desire to return to their Turkic roots and reject Soviet influence played a significant role in the early 1990s. Additionally, Turkey's secular values and modern lifestyle, especially among its youth, hold great appeal for young Azerbaijanis. The opportunity to study in Turkish universities also contributed to the spread of Turkish influence, as students returned with a progressive mindset and a strong connection to Turkish culture.

However, some individuals in Azerbaijan express concern about the extent of Turkish cultural influence. They argue that excessive adherence to another country's culture can lead to a loss of national identity, even if the two countries share ethnic roots. There is also a perception that the abuse of the Turkish language by Azerbaijani youth reflects a lack of education and an inability to express themselves adequately in their native language.

Despite these concerns, historian Altay Geyushev believes that the situation does not warrant alarm. He attributes the adoption of Turkish phrases and expressions by Azerbaijani youth to environmental influences and does not consider it a sign of them becoming Turks.

Azerbaijan's independence

Azerbaijan's path to independence was a long and tumultuous one. The territory of what is now Azerbaijan was first ruled by Caucasian Albania and later by various Persian empires. Until the 19th century, it remained part of Qajar Iran. However, the Russo-Persian wars of the early 19th century forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire. After more than 80 years of being under Russian rule, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established in 1918, marking the first time the region had a secular democratic Muslim-majority state.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic only lasted 23 months and collapsed in April 1920 after the Soviet invasion. The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in its place as part of the Soviet Union.

In the late 20th century, the collapse of the Soviet Union presented another opportunity for Azerbaijan to gain independence. On 30 June 1991, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted a declaration about the restoration of the state's independence. This was followed by the adoption of the Constitutional Act "About the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan" by the Supreme Council on 18 October 1991. A referendum was held on 29 December, and the people of Azerbaijan unanimously supported state independence.

Thus, Azerbaijan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on 18 October 1991, and it has been celebrated as a holiday ever since. The country is now officially known as the Republic of Azerbaijan and is a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is one of six independent Turkic states and an active member of the Organization of Turkic States.

The independence of Azerbaijan holds great significance for its people, and it is celebrated annually on 28 May, known as Independence Day. This date commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Azerbaijani National Council on 28 May 1918. The original copies of the Declaration, written in the Arabic script of the Azerbaijani language and French, are preserved in the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan in Baku.

Turkey's support in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Turkey's support for Azerbaijan in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was multifaceted and decisive. The conflict, which ended on November 10, 2020, with Armenia's acknowledgement of defeat, was the latest flare-up in a decades-old dispute over territory. Turkey's backing of Azerbaijan was driven by a range of geopolitical and economic factors, and it played out in military, diplomatic, and rhetorical arenas.

Military Support

Turkey has long been a key supporter of Azerbaijan's military development. Since Azerbaijan's independence in 1992, Turkey has helped build its armed forces, sharing a language and a record of military cooperation stretching back to the 1917 Russian Revolution. This collaboration reached a new level with the Agreement on Strategic Partnership and Mutual Support in 2010, which allowed Azerbaijani military personnel to participate in Turkish military exercises and conduct visits to Turkey, and vice versa. Turkey also contributed to the founding and reorganization of military education and training institutions in Azerbaijan.

In the lead-up to the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Turkey and Azerbaijan held joint military exercises in July and August 2020, and Turkey left two F-16 fighter jets in the Azeri city of Ganja. Turkey's arms sales to Azerbaijan increased significantly in the same year, and included sophisticated Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, which proved to be a game-changer on the battlefield. Turkey also allegedly provided senior military personnel to advise on Azerbaijan's operational plans and command.

Diplomatic Support

Turkey has sought to bolster its influence in the region and secure a place at the negotiating table for any future resolution of the conflict. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been vocal in his support for Azerbaijan, praising its "great operation both to defend its own territories and to liberate the occupied Karabakh". He has also criticised the OSCE Minsk Group, which includes the US, France, and Russia, for its failure to find a solution to the conflict. Instead, Turkey has expressed its desire to negotiate with Russia in the South Caucasus, preferably without Western actors.

Economic and Cultural Ties

Azerbaijan is crucial for Turkey's energy security, and the two countries have strong economic, military, cultural, and linguistic ties. Azerbaijan's state oil company, SOCAR, is the biggest foreign investor in Turkey, and Ankara's gas imports from Azerbaijan rose by 23% in the first half of 2020.

Public Opinion

Support for Azerbaijan currently enjoys wide public support within Turkey, including from the main opposition. However, there are risks for both countries if the conflict continues to escalate and draw in other powers. If Azerbaijan were to cross one of Russia's "red lines", such as taking over Nagorno-Karabakh's biggest city, Stepanakert, or severing the enclave from its Armenian supply lines, it could trigger a direct confrontation between Turkey and Russia.

Azerbaijani ethnic groups

Azerbaijanis, or Azeris, are a Turkic ethnic group living primarily in the Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the largest ethnic group in the Republic of Azerbaijan, comprising over 90% of the population, and the second-largest ethnic group in neighbouring Iran and Georgia.

The term "Azerbaijani" refers to the Turkic peoples of Iran's northwestern historic region of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are predominantly Shia Muslims and speak the Azerbaijani language, which belongs to the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages.

The origin of Azerbaijanis is believed to be mixed, with influences from indigenous populations of eastern Transcaucasia and possibly the Medians from northern Iran. There is also evidence of cultural assimilation by ancient Iranian peoples and later by the Oghuz Turks.

There are at least ten Azerbaijani ethnic groups, each with distinct characteristics in their economy, culture, and daily life. Some of the major Azerbaijani ethnic groups include:

• Lezgins: The largest ethnic minority in Azerbaijan, comprising around 2% of the total population, although some estimates suggest the number could be higher. They are predominantly found in the Qusar and Khachmaz regions and Greater Baku.
• Russians: The second-largest ethnic minority in Azerbaijan and the largest Russian community in the South Caucasus outside of Russia. They comprise around 0.7% of the population and are mainly located in the capital city of Baku.
• Talysh: Iranian people who form the bulk of the local population in the southeastern regions of Länkäran and Masallı. They have preserved many of their old customs and traditions and speak an Iranian language.
• Kurds: A significant population in Azerbaijan, with historical records dating back to the 18th century. They have their own radio station, newspaper, and schools to preserve their culture.
• Armenians: Although most Armenians in Azerbaijan lived in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, there is a small remaining population within the country.

The Republic of Azerbaijan is a secular state that guarantees freedom of religion and the use of native languages for all its citizens, including ethnic minorities.

Azerbaijani language and literature

The Azerbaijani language is a Turkic language, specifically from the Oghuz sub-branch, spoken primarily by the Azerbaijani people who live in the Republic of Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran. Azerbaijani is also spoken to varying degrees in the Azerbaijani communities of Georgia, Turkey, Europe, and North America. It is closely related to Turkmen, Turkish, Gagauz, and Qashqai, and is mutually intelligible with each of these languages to varying degrees.

Azerbaijani literature is divided into two traditions: folk literature and written literature. Folk literature is an oral tradition with its roots in Central Asian nomadic customs, while also reflecting the problems of a settling or settled people who have abandoned the nomadic lifestyle. Written literature, on the other hand, embraced the influence of Persian and Arabic literature.

The earliest development of Azerbaijani literature is closely associated with Anatolian Turkish, written in Perso-Arabic script. Examples of its detachment date to the 14th century or earlier, with poets such as Haqiqi, Habibi, and Gazi Burhanaddin. In the 15th century, Imadaddin Nasimi helped to establish Azerbaijani as a literary language through his poetry and other works.

Azerbaijani literature flourished in the 16th century with the development of Ashik poetry, a genre of Azerbaijani bards. During this period, Shah Ismail I, ruler and poet, wrote about 1400 verses in Azerbaijani under the pen name Khatā'ī, which means "sinner" in Persian. Another important figure in Azerbaijani poetry is Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar, whose work Heydar Babaya Salam is considered a pinnacle of Azerbaijani literature.

In the 19th century, Azerbaijani literature was heavily influenced by Russia as a result of the Russo-Persian Wars, and this continued into the 20th century when Azerbaijan became part of the Soviet Union. During this time, many writers and intellectuals were forced to become mouthpieces of Soviet propaganda, though some resisted and turned to clandestine methodologies of Sufism as a means of resistance. After the death of Stalin and the rise of Khrushchev in 1953, the harsh focus on propaganda began to fade, and writers began to branch off in new directions, primarily focused on uplifting prose.

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