The first anniversary of the Joint Declaration signed in Washington on August 8 with the participation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and US President Donald Trump has prompted a reassessment of the new geopolitical reality taking shape in the region.
Turkish political commentator Dr. Canan Tercan made the remarks in an interview with APA.
She believes that the agreements reached are of strategic importance not only for the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but also for the future geopolitical and geoeconomic architecture of the South Caucasus.
Canan Tercan said that the Joint Declaration signed in Washington is one of the major political developments that will shape the future of the region. According to her, the process will have a direct impact not only on Azerbaijan and Armenia, but also on Türkiye, as well as on Europe’s economic and energy security.
The expert noted that one of the main reasons for this is that the Middle Corridor passes through the South Caucasus. She said the decades-long Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict had prevented the region’s transit and logistics potential from being fully realized. The progress achieved toward peace between the sides is creating a more sustainable geopolitical environment and opening up new economic opportunities.
Canan Tercan said that the Russia-Ukraine war is continuing while tensions also persist in the Middle East along the Iran-US-Israel axis. In her view, under these circumstances, the European Union is seeking alternative energy sources and new transport routes, while China and Russia are seeking to expand their geopolitical influence. Against this complex international backdrop, Azerbaijan’s strategic position is becoming increasingly important.
The commentator emphasized that one of the main factors that had hindered the strengthening of Azerbaijan’s position as a regional leader was the continuing conflict with Armenia. According to her, resolving this issue creates the conditions for Azerbaijan to become an even more influential actor both in the region and internationally.
Canan Tercan described last year’s Washington meeting as a turning point in South Caucasus diplomacy, saying that the agreements reached with US participation, including understandings concerning transregional transport corridors, were the result of an extremely complex negotiation process and should be regarded as a major diplomatic achievement.
The expert believes that the South Caucasus is no longer a region characterized solely by security risks. According to her, the growing interest of the United States and the European Union in cooperation with Central Asia, along with energy resources, critical minerals, and alternative logistics routes, is further increasing Azerbaijan’s geostrategic importance.
Canan Tercan said that strong diplomatic will was required to bring all these processes to fruition and that the progress in the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, which had long been considered impossible, was precisely the result of such determination.
In her view, Azerbaijan has acquired a new position in the international system by developing cooperation with the United States while maintaining its strategic alliance with Türkiye. The expert noted that the political and economic opportunities created by Azerbaijan have made the country an increasingly important part of the global agenda.
Canan Tercan said Azerbaijan’s role as one of the key participants in the Middle Corridor would continue to grow, describing this as the result of strong leadership and consistent diplomacy.
“Ilham Aliyev has achieved tremendous success. In fact, we can say that a historic turning point occurred under Ilham Aliyev’s leadership,” she emphasized.
The expert also described the resolution of the Karabakh issue as a key element of the new political reality in the region. According to her, such an outcome had seemed impossible for many years. Despite opposition from radical forces within Armenia, official Yerevan continues to pursue the course toward peace, which she described as a result of Azerbaijan’s strong political and diplomatic position.
Canan Tercan said that Azerbaijan would become an increasingly important actor on the global stage in the coming years. She noted that against the backdrop of Türkiye’s emergence as a rising regional power, Azerbaijan’s strategic importance is also growing, while the alliance between the two countries will play an important role in shaping a new geopolitical balance.
The expert believes that Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the United States and its positioning as a peacebuilder have significantly enhanced the country’s economic and political standing. According to her, at a time when wars and confrontations continue in different parts of the world, Azerbaijan is set to become one of the region’s most influential actors in the years ahead.
Touching upon Türkiye-Armenia relations, Canan Tercan said that Ankara’s main condition in this process is the full normalization of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations. According to her, Armenia must fully recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, the legal foundations of the peace agreement must be completed, and relevant amendments must be made to Armenia’s Constitution.
“Azerbaijan is Türkiye’s brother by blood and soul. Full normalization between Türkiye and Armenia cannot take place until all issues concerning Azerbaijan are fully resolved,” Canan Tercan emphasized.
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