Mirziyoyev criticizes Israeli actions

On July 2, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid a state visit to Baku at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The head of state was welcomed at Heydar Aliyev Airport by First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Yakub Ayubov and other officials. In honor of the high-ranking guest, the national flags of both countries were raised, and an honor guard was formed.

According to the agenda announced by presidential press secretary Sherzod Asadov, President Mirziyoyev is scheduled to visit Baku, Khankendi, Shusha, and Agdam during his trip.

On the first day of the visit, the leaders held a closed-door meeting at the Zagulba residence, followed by the second session of the Supreme Interstate Council. Discussions focused on deepening Uzbek-Azerbaijani friendship, strengthening their strategic partnership and alliance, and enhancing cooperation in priority sectors.

Mirziyoyev emphasized that this state visit and the council session are taking place in the year marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

During his stay, President Mirziyoyev laid the foundation stone for a new “Uzbekistan” park in Baku and officially opened the new Embassy of Uzbekistan building in the capital.

On July 3, Presidents Mirziyoyev and Aliyev continued their dialogue in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region and visited a joint garment factory in Khankendi. Later that day, the Uzbek leader visited the Alley of Honor in Baku, where he laid flowers at the grave of national leader Heydar Aliyev, honoring his legacy.

Upon arrival in the city of Fuzuli, Mirziyoyev was welcomed by Azerbaijani Minister of Culture Adil Karimli and other officials. The city, named after the great Azerbaijani poet Muhammad Fuzuli, is situated in the country’s southwest and is regarded as the “southern gate” of Karabakh.

Mirziyoyev also met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of the interim “Taliban” government of Afghanistan, on the sidelines of the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Khankendi. He expressed satisfaction with the Afghan delegation's participation after a long absence and voiced full support for Afghanistan as an integral part of the organization and a vital player in regional trade and connectivity. He highlighted the importance of accelerating cross-border projects in mining, textiles, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and agriculture, especially the strategically significant Trans-Afghan Railway.

The Uzbek President also visited a horse show in Karabakh and, together with President Aliyev, toured the “Imarat” historical and architectural complex in Agdam.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, who had recently concluded talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, also arrived in Baku for the ECO Summit. During his visit, he inaugurated the Aiqol Manas school, built by Kyrgyzstan in the Agdam district.

As a reminder, in August 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and First Lady Ziroatkhan Mirziyoyeva paid a state visit to Azerbaijan. During that trip, they visited Karabakh and opened Mirzo Ulugbek School No. 1, constructed by Uzbekistan in Fuzuli.

The 17th ECO Summit officially opened in Khankendi on July 4. In his address, President Aliyev spoke at length about the 30-year Armenian occupation of Karabakh, during which 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory was seized. He recalled that ethnic cleansing had displaced over a million people and that repeated warnings to Armenia—and its backers—were ignored.

“We have repeatedly told Armenia and the countries that stand behind it that if Armenia does not voluntarily withdraw from the occupied lands, we will ensure our territorial integrity by military means,” Aliyev stated.

He added that Armenia had destroyed cultural and religious monuments, razed 65 out of 67 mosques, and converted the remaining two into piggeries and cattle sheds. Cemeteries had also been looted, and more than one million mines had been planted in the region. According to Aliyev, Azerbaijan suffered an estimated \$150 billion in damages, based on assessments conducted by a commission of state bodies and foreign experts. President Mirziyoyev also delivered a speech at the summit. He welcomed the Afghan delegation's return and reaffirmed Uzbekistan's support for Afghanistan’s active role in regional cooperation.

In a notable section of his address, Mirziyoyev condemned the attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States. He warned that military operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran threatened to drag the entire region into war and potentially trigger a large-scale environmental disaster.

“We support the agreement reached between Iran and Israel on a ceasefire. We assess this decision as an important step towards easing tensions in the region and restoring security.

We believe that this agreement will create a solid foundation for resolving all issues through diplomatic and constructive negotiations.

Considering that the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their use are the most pressing issues of international security, we call on the world community to once again expand the geography of nuclear-weapon-free zones,” the President stated.

He also emphasized that lasting peace and stability in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a just resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and stressed his support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

“We support the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, the elimination of any obstacles to the provision of humanitarian assistance to the population suffering from hunger and inhumane conditions, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with United Nations resolutions,” Mirziyoyev said. 

The summit brought together leaders from Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, along with Ersin Tatar, the leader of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). This participation came against the backdrop of tensions surrounding the TRNC’s international status. In a declaration adopted at the first Central Asia–European Union summit held in Samarkand on April 3–4, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—together with the European Union—agreed not to recognize the TRNC. Paragraph 4 of the declaration reaffirmed their commitment to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in all international and regional forums and to avoid actions contradicting those principles. 

This stance provoked strong backlash and protests in Turkey. Many politicians viewed it as a betrayal of Turkish interests and accused the Central Asian states of undermining Turkic unity in exchange for economic agreements and €12 billion in EU investment. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan remained silent on the issue.

The divide among Turkic states became more apparent despite their shared participation in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). The three full members—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan—along with observer Turkmenistan, did not recognize the TRNC, even as they sat at the same table within the OTS framework.

The issue was raised again at the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Budapest on May 21, ahead of the informal summit of the OTS Heads of State and Government. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that it was a shared responsibility to show solidarity against the unjust and inhumane isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. The TRNC was granted observer status in the OTS at the 2022 Samarkand Summit with Erdoğan's support. TRNC leader Ersin Tatar has since urged Turkic states, particularly in Central Asia, to resist pressure from Greece, the European Union, and Cyprus regarding its recognition.