Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend A.Ismaylova / The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, said at the first Forum of the Azerbaijani-Turkish diasporas on 9 March in Baku that from today, Azerbaijani-Turkish diasporas will jointly co-ordinate their activities and function as a unified body. According to the President, at present the process of forming Azerbaijani diaspora in the world ongoing. The President stated that Azerbaijan and Turkey should strengthen their political, economical and military potential and only in this way can they achieve justice.
Amongst issues that concern the Azerbaijani-Turkish diasporas, the President mentioned the union organized and financed by the Armenian lobby, the continuation of Azerbaijani land occupation by Armenia and fabricated Armenian genocide. The Azerbaijani-Turkish diasporas should jointly fight against this, Aliyev said. He then stated that if Armenia does not release the occupied Azerbaijani land, its destiny will be in question.
Touching upon the regional projects realized by Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev said they all pass via the territory of Turkey. The final project, the construction of the railway line Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, connects Azerbaijan and Turkey with Middle Asia and Middle Asia with Europe.
The State Head highlighted the problem with assimilation of the Azerbaijanis abroad and mentioned the importance of establishing contact.
The Forum brings together the Prime Minister of Turkey, Rajab Teyyub Erdogan, Leader of Turkish Community of North Cyprus, Mehmet Ali Talat, senior officials of many countries. A film entitled "One Nation - Two States" was shown at the Forum.