Hulusi Kilic, Turkey's former ambassador to Azerbaijan, Turkish representative of the IMZA Social Union, and board member of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Friendship, Cooperation, and Solidarity Foundation, has commented on statements made in Turkey against Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev.

Kilic made the remarks in a statement, Operativ Media reports.

He condemned campaigns aimed at creating a rift between Azerbaijan and Turkey, emphasizing that Azerbaijan is an independent and sovereign state, and that interference in its domestic and foreign policy is unacceptable.

Noting that various criticisms, accusations, and insults against Azerbaijan have recently spread on some religious platforms and social media accounts in Turkey, Kilic said it is wrong to use this issue to damage relations between the two countries.

The former ambassador noted that the controversy intensified after a member of the Azerbaijani delegation remained in the hall during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly. He called attempts to use this episode to damage Azerbaijan-Turkey relations unacceptable.

“Azerbaijan is an independent and sovereign state. No one has the right, nor is it anyone's place, to interfere in its internal affairs and foreign policy,” Hulusi Kilic said.

“Who benefits from creating a rift between two brotherly countries?”

According to Kilic, the peoples of Azerbaijan and Turkey are one family. He stated that while there may be differences of opinion and problems within a family, it is wrong to turn them into public confrontation and pit two brotherly nations against each other with insults and baseless accusations.

“We must think about who benefits from creating a rift between two brotherly countries. Such behavior plays into the hands of those who do not like us. In my opinion, those targeting Azerbaijan are attacking the entire family,” the former ambassador emphasized.

Hulusi Kilic stated that Azerbaijan-Turkey relations do not consist solely of political statements but are based on economic, energy, and transport cooperation built over many years.

He listed the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway lines, TANAP, and SOCAR's activities in Turkey among the strategic projects connecting the two countries.

The former ambassador noted that Azerbaijan has made major investments in Turkey, and that the projects implemented not only strengthen economic ties but also create job opportunities for Turkish citizens.

He added that opportunities have also been created for Turkish companies and entrepreneurs in the restoration of Karabakh, with Azerbaijan giving preference to Turkic states in this area.

Kilic also recalled the assistance provided by Azerbaijan after the devastating earthquake in Turkey in February 2023. According to him, the "Azerbaijan Neighborhood" built in Kahramanmaras is a concrete example of solidarity between the two countries.

Hulusi Kilic also drew attention to Azerbaijan's role in the formation of the Organization of Turkic States.

He recalled that on October 3, 2009, the agreement on the establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States was signed in Nakhchivan between Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The organization's activities were formalized in 2010.

The former ambassador particularly emphasized the contribution of Azerbaijan, which hosted the Nakhchivan summit, and President Ilham Aliyev to the creation of the organization.

Kilic also presented Azerbaijan's relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an example of solidarity within the Turkic world. He noted that in April 2024, a working group on Azerbaijan-Northern Cyprus interparliamentary relations was established in the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis.

Touching upon the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Kilic stated that President Ilham Aliyev has made efforts to ease relations between the parties.

Speaking of these efforts, he cited the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the "Turkish House" (Turkevi) in New York on September 20, 2023, as an example.

That meeting took place on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. According to official information from the Turkish presidency, bilateral relations and the Israeli-Palestinian issue were discussed during the meeting.

Kilic noted that President Ilham Aliyev's efforts to ease relations also played a role in establishing these contacts.

Sabiq diplomat Azerbaijan-İsrail münasibətlərinin strateji əməkdaşlığa söykəndiyini bildirib. Onun sözlərinə görə, İsrail İkinci Qarabağ müharibəsi dövründə Azərbaycana müasir silahlar verib və Ermənistanın müraciətlərinə baxmayaraq həmin silahları Ermənistana satmayıb.

Kilic also emphasized that Israel supports Azerbaijan in Europe and the US, and that this support is important for Azerbaijan's defense interests.

Speaking about Azerbaijan's position on the Palestinian issue, Hulusi Kilic noted that Azerbaijan recognized Palestine in 1992.

He noted that the Palestinian Embassy operates in Baku and its expenses are covered by Azerbaijan. Kilic said that Azerbaijan supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, voted in favor of Palestine within the UN framework during the war in Gaza, and provided humanitarian aid.

Recalling that diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Palestine were established in 1992, the former ambassador said the Palestinian Embassy opened in Baku in 2011.

He also noted that in 2025, Azerbaijan evacuated 14 Palestinian students from Gaza, enabling them to receive higher education in the country.

Kilic claimed that during the Karabakh conflict, the Palestinian side stood with Armenia. In his opinion, this point should also be taken into account in discussions regarding Azerbaijan-Palestine relations.

“This must not be forgotten when Azerbaijan's lands were under occupation. We should not fail to see the forest for the trees, nor should we play into the hands of those who do not like us,” the former ambassador said.

At the end of his statement, Hulusi Kilic emphasized that Azerbaijan-Turkey relations are based on a shared history, mutual support, and strategic interests.

He called on the public of both countries to act responsibly and stated that interference in Azerbaijan's domestic and foreign policy is unacceptable.

“Everyone must know their responsibility. No one should interfere in Azerbaijan's internal affairs or the relations it establishes with other states. Interfering in this is neither anyone's right nor is it their place,” Hulusi Kilic added.