Trend Commentator, Emil Huseynli
The issue of the flag, which has recently become a priority topic in the Azerbaijani and Turkish society, has caused serious concern and the righteous anger of every Turk. And there are unbiased reasons for it. No one could calmly observe the way in which the Azerbaijani flag, raised at price of blood of thousand people, was insulted and not allowed into the stadium by officials of Bursa. However, we have returned to this topic not to make this issue again topical.
Official Ankara called insulting the Azerbaijani flag provocation and punished the police officer in Bursa. Of course, it is difficult to accept this step as a satisfactory outcome and the logical conclusion of the incident. The punishment for insulting the flag which almost made the two fraternal states enemies, and the position demonstrated by official Ankara looked too small and sickly. Well, okay...
The Azerbaijani flag which has not been allowed to the football match in Bursa on Oct. 14 was waved at the Sukri Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul. Under the support of Unibank and Professional Football League, a group of Azerbaijani journalists came to the important football match Fenerbahce - Galatasaray and they were greeted by applause in the stadium of fans. This applause was for the Azerbaijani flag. The tricolor flag in the ultra fans' hands erupted thousands of uninterrupted applause at the stadium. Turkish fans waved the Azerbaijani flag throughout the match. And the words sounded by one Turkish woman could not leave us indifferent. "You are Azerbaijanis? We ask for your forgiveness. We, Turkish people are very fond of Azerbaijan. The fact that the Azerbaijani flag was not allowed was a mistake of the Turkish government. The Turkish people would never have done this," saying it, she proudly waved the Azerbaijani flag.
All this testifies that no power and political maneuvering can shake the brotherhood and friendship of Azerbaijani and Turkish peoples. The woman protested against the Turkish government. Some anger has been felt in the fans' cries to the operator "shoot the flag". Thus, they seemed to want to bring their protest against the Government of Turkey. "We cannot disrespect the Azerbaijani flag because the flag of the brotherly country must wave in Turkey," after these words, all became clear. Can a brother want to lose his brother? This is absurd. No Turkish citizen will abandon brotherly Azerbaijan in favor of Armenia. The Azerbaijani flag insulted in Bursa has now become even more valuable for Turkey. In Istanbul, I witnessed how the Azerbaijani flag along with the Turkish was waved in the march-rally against the activities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party.
The government is not a nation, not the state. The people of Azerbaijan and Turkey should know that the tensions are a temporary phenomenon. Feelings and thoughts of Turks in Azerbaijan and Turkey have always been united. Azerbaijani people trust Turkey, as before, and this confidence will never be lost.
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